Writing Balance Rule: The left side (the earth radical) is narrow and compact, while the right side is wider and provides the main phonetic and structural weight.
1. Meaning
to collapse, to cave in, to break down
to fail completelyto be ruined financially or emotionally
VerbNeutral#destruction#structural failure#emotional state
Sample Usage
这座桥快要垮了。
Zhè zuò qiáo kuài yào kuǎ le.
This bridge is about to collapse.
他听到这个坏消息，差点垮了。
Tā tīng dào zhè ge huài xiāoxī, chàdiǎn kuǎ le.
When he heard the bad news, he almost broke down.
2. Sound
/[kʰuä²¹⁴]/Tone: 214
垮
kuǎkua3
|
++
ˇ(214)
=kuǎ
Build the syllable
Step-by-step blending
kua
Tone mark placement: Tone mark sits on "a" per main-vowel priority (a > e > o; in -iu/-ui the mark takes the second vowel).
Initial Consonant
k
Type: Aspirated Velar
Sounds like: k sound as in 'kite'
Aspirated
Airflow Tactile Test: Strong gust of air from throat! Tissue held in front MUST fly forward.
Tongue & Mouth Position: Back of the tongue raises to touch the soft palate, releasing a strong puff of air.
Final Rhyme
ua
Vowel Group: -a vowel group
Sounds like: wah sound as in 'wad'
Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'wah'.
Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.
Tone
T3 (214)
2 → 1 → 4 (214)
3rd Tone (Low-Dipping)
Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 3 dips down and rises back up, similar to saying 'What?' in disbelief.
Sandhi: When followed by another 3rd tone, kuǎ changes to a 2nd tone (rising 35), e.g., 垮台 kuá-tái.
👂
Listening trap: Do not confuse the 3rd tone dipping contour with the 4th tone sharp drop. Make sure the voice dips and recovers.
👋
Physical Tone Gesture: Trace a checkmark in the air: start medium-high, dip sharply down to your chest, and sweep back up to the right.
3. Writing
Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 9 strokes
Writing Balance Rule: The left side (the earth radical) is narrow and compact, while the right side is wider and provides the main phonetic and structural weight.
Earth (土) meets boasting (夸): if you boast too big, your foundations will collapse (垮) into the dirt.
土 Earth / ground
夸 To exaggerate / boast (provides the sound kuā)
Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
9· Phonetic Root: 夸 (kuā)
5. History
Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)
Origin: Combined from the earth signific (土) to denote ground giving way, and the phonetic (夸).
Semantic Evolution: Originally referred specifically to banks of earth or walls collapsing; extended metaphorically to any structure, system, or person breaking down.
The phonetic component 夸 originally depicted a big person standing with legs apart, conveying expansion or exaggeration.
6. Sinosphere
7. Memory
Vivid Mnemonic Story
You try to **exaggerate** (夸) the foundation of a building made of **dirt** (土), but your lies are too weak and the whole structure **collapses** (垮)!
Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
夸
kuāboast, praise, exaggeratePhonetic Core (声旁)
跨
kuàto step across+ 足 (foot)
挎
kuàto carry (esp. slung over the arm, shoulder or side)+ 扌 (hand)