cyun3 dyun6寸斷寸断

Jyutpingcyun3 dyun6

Yalechyun dyuhn

Definition

To break apart inch by inch, often used figuratively to describe extreme heartbreak or agony.

writtendescriptionsemotion

How it's used

Literary in nature, this term is rarely used in casual speech to describe physical objects. It is almost exclusively reserved for describing intense emotional distress or heartbreak, often appearing in written prose or dramatic storytelling. When used for physical objects, it implies a complete and thorough destruction rather than a simple snap.

Examples

keoi5佢sam1心jap6入min6面cyun3寸dyun6斷，zan1真hai6係hou2好naan4難sau6受。

Her heart is breaking into pieces, it is really painful.

ni1呢tiu4條sing4繩bei2俾jan4人laai1拉dou3到cyun3寸dyun6斷。

This rope was pulled until it broke into tiny pieces.

Common phrases

gon1肝coeng4腸cyun3寸dyun6斷

heartbroken and devastated

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a common verb like 斷開, but it carries a much more poetic and heavy tone. Using it to describe a simple broken pencil or a snapped rubber band will sound unnatural and overly dramatic to native speakers.