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拆

chāi
HSK 5
#2,072 most
frequent character
to tear open, to tear down
verb

Character breakdown

Source: Make Me a Hanzi.

拆 joins 扌, a hand, with 斥 chì for the sound; only the start of the sound matches. It first meant splitting something open, then grew to tearing things apart and tearing buildings down. Read cā, this reading was borrowed for 'to excrete', with no link to the shape.

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Example Sentences

他小心翼翼地拆开包裹。
tā xiǎoxīnyìyì dì chāikāi bāoguǒ 。
He carefully tore open the package.
我们需要拆掉这堵墙。
wǒmen xūyào chāidiào zhè dǔ qiáng 。
We need to tear down this wall.
他把古老的家具拆散了。
tā bǎ gǔlǎo de jiājù chāisàn le 。
He disassembled the old furniture.

Words with similar meanings

撕sī
to tear
More general term for tearing something apart, often used for paper or fabric.
拆卸chāixiè
to disassemble
Specifically refers to taking something apart in a mechanical or structured context, often with care.

Homophones

差chāi
to send (on an errand)

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Public Lists with 拆

HSK 5
All words for the HSK 5 test
Maintenance & Chores
Cleaning, laundry, repairs, household tasks, and schedules.
Basic Verbs
Core action verbs like 'go,' 'come,' 'eat,' 'see,' commonly encountered in HSK.
Furniture & Decor
Chairs, tables, sofas, lighting, decorative items, styles of interior design.