坍

tān
丹 + 土

Definitions

tān to collapse

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 土 represents the meaning and 丹 represents the sound.

Semantic: 土 Phonetic: 丹

About

坍 is a phono-semantic compound: 土 (earth) on the left provides the meaning, and 丹 on the right indicates the sound. It denotes collapsing, caving in, or crumbling down, typically of natural geological formations or man-made earthen structures like embankments, walls, and buildings, due to gravity, erosion, or pressure. The earth radical links the character to soil and structural failure, and it is often used for landslides, sinkholes, and ruined architecture.

Example Sentences Hide

这墙坍塌了。

Zhè qiáng tāntā le.

This wall collapsed.

地震后房屋坍塌。

Dìzhèn hòu fángwū tāntā.

After the earthquake, the houses collapsed.

矿井坍塌很危险。

Kuàngjǐng tāntā hěn wēixiǎn.

Mine collapse is very dangerous.

暴雨导致了山体坍方。

Bàoyǔ dǎozhìle shāntǐ tānfāng.

The heavy rain caused a landslide.

那座桥突然坍陷下去。

Nà zuò qiáo tūrán tānxiàn xiàqù.

That bridge suddenly collapsed.

防止土石坍落是工程难点。

Fángzhǐ tǔshí tānluò shì gōngchéng nándiǎn.

Preventing rock and soil collapse is a difficulty in engineering.

由于年久失修，这座塔坍倒了。

Yóuyú niánjiǔ shīxiū, zhè zuò tǎ tāndǎo le.

Due to long-term lack of maintenance, this tower collapsed.

连续暴雨使河岸坍毁情况严重。

Liánxù bàoyǔ shǐ hé'àn tānhuǐ qíngkuàng yánzhòng.

Continuous heavy rain caused severe collapse of the river bank.

Related Characters

Component: 丹

丹 彤 旃 雘 栴 砃

Component: 土

在 地 去 主 走 场 至 社 基 王 城 增 型 境

Example Words

坍塌