山崩
shānbēng
The English word 'landslide' can be translated into Chinese using several terms such as 山崩 (shānbēng), 滑坡, 地滑 or 塌方.
Meaning: natural disaster (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 山崩 | shānbēng |
| 滑坡 | huápō |
| 地滑 | dìhuá |
| 塌方 | tāfāng |
The term refers to a natural disaster.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 山崩 is composed of 山 (mountain) and 崩 (to collapse or crumble).
Which one should you use?
While 山崩 emphasizes the collapse of a mountain, 滑坡 is the more technical term used in geology to describe a landslide or the sliding of a slope. In contrast, 塌方 is often used to describe a collapse or cave-in specifically in the context of mines or tunnels, rather than just a mountain slope.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Taiwan, the term for landslide is 土石流.
How do you pronounce it?
shānbēng
Did you know?
- In Chinese political contexts, a 'landslide victory' is not described by the words for natural disasters, but by the phrase 圧倒性胜利, meaning an 'overwhelming victory'.
- The character 崩 (to collapse) is historically associated with the death of an emperor, as the phrase 崩逝 was reserved specifically for the passing of a sovereign.
- The character 崩 is also used in the phrase 崩潰, which can mean a physical crumbling or the complete breakdown of a political regime or a psychological state.
Examples in context
- 交通被山崩所阻斷。Traffic was blocked by a landslide.This sentence is useful for describing how traffic was blocked by a 山崩.Tatoeba #801447 by Martha, translation #63772 by CK
- 昨晚山区发生了一场毁灭性的滑坡，给当地基础设施造成了巨大的破坏。A devastating landslide occurred in the mountainous region last night, causing significant damage to the local infrastructure.
- 昨天的大雨导致了村附近的一次山崩。The heavy rains yesterday caused a landslide near the village.
- 那場山崩造成了巨大的損失。Nà chǎng shānbēng zàochéngle jùdà de sǔnshī.That landslide caused huge losses.
- 山崩時千萬不要留在山上。Shānbēng shí qiānwàn bùyào liú zài shānshàng.Do not stay on the mountain during a landslide.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing the news about a recent natural disaster.
- 浩然 Haoran你看到昨晚的新聞了嗎？Nǐ kàndào zuówǎn de xīnwén le ma?Did you see the news last night?
- 雨婷 Yuting看到了，那場山崩太可怕了。Kàndào le, nà chǎng shānbēng tài kěpà le.I saw it, that landslide was so terrifying.
- 浩然 Haoran聽說有很多房屋被毀掉了。Tīngshuō yǒu hěnduō fángwū bèi huǐdiào le.I heard many houses were destroyed.
- 雨婷 Yuting希望災民們都能平安無事。Xīwàng zāimínmen dōu néng píng'ān wúshì.I hope the victims are all safe.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “landslide” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
