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 with the hand radical "扌" on the left, indicating an action performed with the hand, and the component "率" on the right, which historically functioned as a phonetic element while possibly conveying a sense of directed motion. Its earliest meanings centered on the deliberate act of throwing or casting down an object. Over time, the semantic scope of the character expanded to encompass involuntary actions, such as stumbling or falling down, and it developed a specialized meaning within the context of wrestling or grappling, where the controlled throwing of an opponent is key. This shift from denoting solely intentional force to including both accidental and sportive descent reflects an adaptation in its application to describe related physical states and actions.

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.