kui2潰溃
Jyutpingkui2
Yalekúi
Definition
To burst, collapse, or fester; to be dispersed or broken through.
- to burst; to collapse; to break through (e.g., a dike)
- to fester; to ulcerate
- to be dispersed; to be routed or defeated
writtenhealthother
How it's used
Primarily used in formal or literary contexts to describe the breakdown of structures, armies, or the physical deterioration of wounds. In everyday speech, native speakers almost always use more specific verbs like 爛 for wounds or 散 for groups, making this character feel quite academic or news-oriented.
Examples
The army collapsed and retreated, everyone is terrified.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 潰爛, which specifically refers to the rotting or festering of skin. Using 潰 alone to describe a physical injury can sound overly dramatic or clinical.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
