撕裂 (sīliè): to tear apart; to rip

Meanings

Tear + split — to violently rip something apart. Can be physical or metaphorical.

Tā bǎ nà fēng xìn sīlièle.

He tore that letter apart.

Zhànzhēng sīlièle zhège guójiā.

War tore this country apart.

Shāngkǒu yǐjīng sīlièle, xūyào chóngxīn fénghé.

The wound has torn open and needs to be stitched again.

usage

撕裂 is more intense and dramatic than simple 撕 (tear). It's commonly used figuratively for societies, relationships, or emotions being torn apart.

撕 sī

裂 liè