Definitions

shuāi (verb) to fall down; to stumble
shuāi (verb) to throw; to fling
shuāi (verb) to break by dropping

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character 摔 is structured as a phono-semantic compound, combining the hand radical 扌 to indicate manual action with the component 率 primarily serving a phonetic function. Etymologically, it originated from the sense of casting down or causing to fall, with its early meanings centered on deliberate acts of throwing or dropping. Over time, its semantic range broadened to include involuntary actions such as stumbling or collapsing, as well as specialized uses like in 摔跤 for wrestling, reflecting an expansion from intentional to accidental forms of descent.

Example Sentences Hide

倒了。

Tā shuāi dǎo le。

He fell down.

小心别跤。

Xiǎoxīn bié shuāijiāo。

Be careful not to trip and fall.

弟弟了一跤。

Dìdi shuāi le yì jiāo。

My younger brother took a fall.

我的杯子碎了。

Wǒ de bēizi shuāi suì le。

My cup fell and shattered.

他滑雪时伤了腿。

Tā huáxuě shí shuāi shāng le tuǐ。

He injured his leg when he fell while skiing.

这一跤得真不轻。

Zhè yì jiāo shuāi de zhēn bù qīng。

This was quite a serious fall.

他气得把书在地上。

Tā qì de bǎ shū shuāi zài dìshang。

He was so angry that he threw the book on the ground.

昂贵的花瓶差点被他坏。

Ángguì de huāpíng chàdiǎn bèi tā shuāi huài。

The expensive vase was almost broken by him.