断 duàn
“to break; to snap; to cut off”
verb, verb / nounHSK 4 · 2021 list level 3Traditional 斷
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
断 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 2303: 断 duàn — Level 5; official annotation 5 (动). PDF page 137
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 断
断 means that something long or thin snaps, or that a connection or supply is cut off. It is commonly used for ropes, wires, branches, signals, and power, often in the pattern subject + 断了 or 把 + object + 弄断. It does not mean general “broken” for devices.
例句Example sentences
- 这根绳子太旧了，一拉就断了。zhè gēn shéng zi tài jiù le, yì lā jiù duàn le.This rope is too old; it snapped as soon as I pulled it.
- 昨晚下大雨，家里的网断了。zuó wǎn xià dà yǔ, jiā lǐ de wǎng duàn le.It rained heavily last night, and the internet at home went down.
- 他把一根树枝弄断了。tā bǎ yì gēn shù zhī nòng duàn le.He broke a tree branch.
常见错误Common mistakes
-
✗我的电脑断了。
✓我的电脑坏了。
断 is for long or thin things snapping or connections being cut off, not for a device stopping working.
-
✗我断了他的话。
✓我打断了他的话。
To interrupt someone speaking, use 打断, not 断 alone.