臭弹

臭彈

chòudàn

noun

Measure Word

一颗臭弹 kē

Meanings

1 dud (bomb or shell that fails to explode)
2 (figurative) flop, total failure

Characters

stinking / rotten

Examples

这枚炮弹是颗臭弹。

Zhè méi pàodàn shì kē chòudàn.

This artillery shell is a dud.

他这次演讲简直就是个臭弹。

Tā zhè cì yǎnjiǎng jiǎnzhí jiùshì ge chòudàn.

His speech this time was a complete flop.

Tips

memory

臭 'stinking' + 弹 'bomb / shell' — a 'stinker' that just sits there. The figurative use parallels English 'dud': literally a defective bomb, figuratively any disappointing flop.

Stroke Order

臭 chòu

弹 dàn