爆炸
bàozhà
The English verb explode is translated into Chinese as 爆炸 (bàozhà).
爆炸 is used to describe the act of destroying something violently. You may also see 炸开 (zhà kāi) used specifically to describe the action of something forcefully bursting open or exploding.
Meaning: to destroy violently (verb)
Which one should you use?
While 爆炸 is the standard term, you may encounter other forms depending on the context. 爆裂 (bào liè) is a formal way to convey the idea of exploding, and 炸开 (zhà kāi) specifically emphasizes the movement of bursting open. For a casual way to say something has already exploded, use 爆了 (bào le).
How do you pronounce it?
bàozhà
Did you know?
- The character 炸 (zhà) is the root for many words related to frying in cooking, such as in 'deep-fried' dishes. This connection links the concept of sudden heat or intense action to culinary techniques.
- The character 爆 contains the radical for 'fire' (火), reflecting China's historical role as the inventor of gunpowder.
- In a legal or social context, 爆料 (bào liào) means to 'leak' or 'expose' a secret, imagining the information bursting out like an explosion.
Examples in context
- 一点火花让火药爆炸。A spark caused the gunpowder to explode.This sentence shows how a spark can cause gunpowder to undergo the action of 爆炸.Tatoeba #10696003 by GlossaMatik, translation #7805889 by AlanF_US
- 爆炸！Explode!This sentence provides a direct command using 爆炸.Tatoeba #13112547 by LeviHighway, translation #11898287 by purple_ice
- 这座建筑物在爆炸中遭到严重损坏。(zhè zuò jiàn zhù wù zài bàozhà zhōng zāodào yánzhòng sǔnhuài)This building suffered severe damage in the explosion.
- 那颗定时炸弹会爆炸。Nà kē dìngshí zhàndàn huì bàozhà.That time bomb will explode.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two people are discussing a news report about a gas leak.
- 雨婷 Yuting你看到新闻了吗？煤气罐爆炸了。Nǐ kàndào xīnwén le ma? Méiqìguàn bàozhà le.Did you see the news? The gas cylinder exploded.
- 俊杰 Junjie真的吗？有人受伤吗？Zhēn de ma? Yǒurén shòushāng ma?Really? Was anyone hurt?
- 雨婷 Yuting幸好没有人受伤，但房子毁了。Xìnghǎo méiyǒu rén shòushāng, dàn fángzi huǐ le.Luckily no one was hurt, but the house was destroyed.
- 俊杰 Junjie太可怕了，我们得小心点。Tài kěpà le, wǒmen děi xiǎoxīn diǎn.That's terrifying, we need to be careful.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
