The Chinese word 瓦解 (wǎjiě) is a metaphorical compound formed by combining the characters 瓦 (wǎ), meaning "tile" or "rooftile," and 解 (jiě), meaning "to separate" or "to break apart." It originates from a vivid, concrete image: the breaking and collapsing of a tiled roof, where the individual tiles fall apart and scatter. This visual metaphor was historically extended to describe the disintegration of military formations or organizational structures, much like tiles crumbling from a roof. Over time, its meaning generalized to signify the complete collapse, dissolution, or breakdown of any system, alliance, or plan, effectively capturing the concept of something falling to pieces both literally and figuratively.