坍 (tān): to collapse; to cave in; to cru…

Meanings

1 to collapse; to cave in; to crumble down

Characters

坍

tān

to collapse; cave in

Examples

大雨过后，一段河堤坍塌了。

Dàyǔ guòhòu, yí duàn hédī tāntā le.

After the heavy rain, a section of the river embankment caved in.

那间老房子终于坍了。

Nà jiān lǎofángzi zhōngyú tān le.

The old house finally collapsed.

Tips

usage

Common in 坍塌 (to collapse) and 坍方 (a cave-in). It is used of embankments, walls, houses, and earthworks giving way.

Components

radical

土 tǔ

earth; soil

The earth radical fits the meaning: 坍 originally described a riverbank of soil washed away and collapsing, then any earthen or built structure caving in.

phonetic

丹 dān

cinnabar; red

Supplies the reading tān; it works purely as the sound element with no bearing on the meaning "to collapse."

Stroke Order

坍 tān

Related Words

坍塌 tāntā #13,484

to collapse; to cave in

倒下 dǎoxià HSK 7-9 #4,263

to fall down / to collapse / to be struck down

垮 kuǎ HSK 7-9 #4,868

to collapse; to fall apart / to break down; to be crushed

打倒 dǎdǎo HSK 7-9 #5,212

to overthrow / to knock down / down with

崩溃 bēngkuì HSK 7-9 #2,688

to collapse; to fall apart; to break down / to have a (mental/emotional) breakdown

关闭 guānbì HSK 4 #2,087

to close; to shut / to shut down; to close down

摔 shuāi HSK 5 #1,887

to fall down; to tumble / to throw down; to slam / to drop and break

击倒 jīdǎo #6,826

to knock down / to knock out / to strike down

山洞 shāndòng #8,935

cave; cavern / mountain cave

平息 píngxī HSK 7-9 #9,278

to calm down; to subside; to quell / to pacify; to put down (unrest)