Usage of the character 破

to read extensively and thoroughly
nonstandard pronunciation of a Chinese character, e.g. the reading (hào) in 愛好／爱好 (àihào) rather than the usual (hǎo)

pòquē

破缺

[破缺]

breaking

jiēpò

揭破

[揭破]

to uncover

pòfáng

破防

[破防]

(video games) to break through an opponent's defenses
(by extension) (slang) to get to sb
to make sb feel upset or moved

pòyuē

破约

[破約]

to break a promise

pòlàn

破烂

[破爛]

worn-out; dilapidated; tattered; ragged
(coll.) rubbish; junk

kānpò

勘破

[勘破]

see 看破 (kànpò)

shípò

识破

[識破]

to penetrate
to see through

dǎpò

打破

[打破]

to break; to smash

pòjìng

破镜

[破鏡]

broken mirror
fig. broken marriage
divorce

pòlàng

破浪

[破浪]

to set sail
to brave the waves

pòkǒu

破口

[破口]

tear or rupture
to have a tear (e.g. in one's clothes)
without restraint (e.g. of swearing)

pòfèi

破费

[破費]

to spend (money or time)

dǎnpò

胆破

[膽破]

to be frightened to death

pòshì

破事

[破事]

trivial matter
trifle
annoying thing

kànpò

看破

[看破]

to see through
disillusioned with
to reject (the world of mortals)

pòchǔ

破处

[破處]

to break the hymen
to lose virginity

zápò

砸破

[砸破]

to break
to shatter

diǎnpò

点破

[點破]

to lay bare in a few words
to expose with a word
to point out bluntly

gōngpò

攻破

[攻破]

to make a breakthrough
to break through
to breach (military)

gōupò

钩破

[鉤破]

(of sth sharp) to snag (one's stockings etc)

pòyǒng

破蛹

[破蛹]

to emerge from a pupa (of a butterfly etc)

tǒngpò

捅破

[捅破]

to pierce; to poke through

gōupò

勾破

[勾破]

(of sth sharp) to snag (one's stockings etc)

chēngpò

撑破

[撐破]

to burst

pòzhàn

破绽

[破綻]

split seam
(fig.) flaw
weak point

cánpò

残破

[殘破]

broken
dilapidated

pòguā

破瓜

[破瓜]

(of a girl) to lose one's virginity
to deflower a virgin
to reach the age of 16
(of a man) to reach the age of 64

pòfā

破发

[破發]

(of a stock) to fall below the issue price
(of a tennis player) to break serve (abbr. for 破發球局／破发球局 (pòfāqiújú))

pògěng

破梗

[破梗]

(Tw) to reveal a spoiler

pòyì

破译

[破譯]

to decipher; to decode

shuōpò

说破

[說破]

to lay bare (actual facts, secrets etc)
to reveal

pòbài

破败

[破敗]

to defeat
to crush (in battle)
beaten
ruined
destroyed
in decline

pòmiè

破灭

[破滅]

to be shattered
to be annihilated (of hope, illusions etc)

pòshēn

破身

[破身]

to lose one's virginity

zhànpò

蘸破

[蘸破]

to wake up due to noise

pòbì

破敝

[破敝]

shabby
damaged

bàopò

爆破

[爆破]

to blow up
to demolish (using explosives)
dynamite
blast

pòguān

破关

[破關]

to solve or overcome (a difficult problem)
to beat (a video game)

pòcái

破财

[破財]

bankrupt
to suffer financial loss

tūpòdiǎn

突破点

[突破點]

point of penetration (military)
breakthrough

pòchǎnzhě

破产者

[破產者]

bankrupt person

pòbīngchuán

破冰船

[破冰船]

ice breaker

xiàpòdǎn

吓破胆

[嚇破膽]

to be scared out of one's wits
to scare stiff

pòtiānhuāng

破天荒

[破天荒]

unprecedented
for the first time
never before
first ever

pòyīnzì

破音字

[破音字]

character with two or more readings
character where different readings convey different meanings (Tw)

Nápòlún

拿破仑

[拿破崙]

Napoleon (name)
Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821), Emperor of France 1804-1815

pòzhéhào

破折号

[破折號]

dash
Chinese dash ── (punct., double the length of the western dash)

pòjìlù

破纪录

[破紀錄]

to break a record
record-breaking

pòshāngfēng

破伤风

[破傷風]

tetanus (lockjaw)

pòtǐzi

破体字

[破體字]

nonstandard or corrupted form of a Chinese character

sīpòliǎn

撕破脸

[撕破臉]

to have an acrimonious falling-out
to shed all pretense of cordiality
to tear into each other

tūpòkǒu

突破口

[突破口]

breach
gap
breakthrough point

pòlièyīn

破裂音

[破裂音]

(linguistics) (old) plosive; stop

pòjiǎdàn

破甲弹

[破甲彈]

armor piercing shell

tūpòxìng

突破性

[突破性]

groundbreaking

Nápòlún

拿破仑

[拿破侖]

variant of 拿破崙／拿破仑 ( Nápòlún)

dúpòjù

读破句

[讀破句]

incorrect break in reading Chinese, dividing text into clauses at wrong point

pòsìjiù

破四旧

[破四舊]

Destroy the Four Olds (campaign of the Cultural Revolution)

bàopòshǒu

爆破手

[爆破手]

dynamiter

pòhuàixìng

破坏性

[破壞性]

destructive

màipòzhàn

卖破绽

[賣破綻]

to feign an opening in order to hoodwink the opponent (in a fight, combat etc)

pòbīngjiàn

破冰舰

[破冰艦]

ice breaker

pòbìjī

破壁机

[破壁機]

high-speed blender

pòjiěbǎn

破解版

[破解版]

cracked version (of software)

yúsǐwǎngpò

鱼死网破

[魚死網破]

lit. either the fish dies or the net splits
a life and death struggle (idiom)

dàpòdàlì

大破大立

[大破大立]

to destroy the old and establish the new (idiom)
radical transformation

pòguàn-pòshuāi

破罐破摔

[破罐破摔]

lit. to smash a pot just because it has a crack (idiom)
fig. to give up altogether after a setback; to throw one's hands up in frustration and let it all go to hell

pòkǒudàmà

破口大骂

[破口大罵]

to abuse roundly

pòbàibùkān

破败不堪

[破敗不堪]

crushed
utterly defeated

pòtìwéixiào

破涕为笑

[破涕為笑]

to turn tears into laughter (idiom); to turn grief into happiness

shìrúpòzhú

势如破竹

[勢如破竹]

like a hot knife through butter (idiom)
with irresistible force

shípòjīguān

识破机关

[識破機關]

to see through a trick

pòjiǎnchéngdié

破茧成蝶

[破繭成蝶]

lit. to break through a cocoon and turn into a butterfly (idiom)
fig. to emerge strong after a period of struggle
to get to a better place after going through difficult period

pòzhúzhīshì

破竹之势

[破竹之勢]

lit. a force to smash bamboo (idiom); fig. irresistible force

tūpòpíngjǐng

突破瓶颈

[突破瓶頸]

to make a breakthrough

mópòkǒushé

磨破口舌

[磨破口舌]

incessant complaining

diānpūbùpò

颠扑不破

[顛撲不破]

solid; unbreakable
(fig.) irrefutable; incontrovertible; indisputable

pòmén'érrù

破门而入

[破門而入]

to break the door down and enter (idiom)

tāpòménkǎn

踏破门槛

[踏破門檻]

to wear out the doorstep (idiom)
to crowd at sb's door

pòzhújiànlíng

破竹建瓴

[破竹建瓴]

lit. smash bamboo, overturn water tank (idiom); fig. irresistible force

pòbīngxíngshǒu

破冰型艏

[破冰型艏]

icebreaker bow

diēpòyǎnjìng

跌破眼镜

[跌破眼鏡]

(fig.) to be astounded

pòhuàiwúyí

破坏无遗

[破壞無遺]

damaged beyond repair

pòwǎnpòshuāi

破碗破摔

[破碗破摔]

lit. to smash a cracked pot; fig. to treat oneself as hopeless and act crazily

lǎoniúpòchē

老牛破车

[老牛破車]

lit. old ox pulling a shabby cart (idiom)
fig. slow and inefficient

pòtǔdiǎnlǐ

破土典礼

[破土典禮]

ground breaking ceremony

kànpò-hóngchén

看破红尘

[看破紅塵]

(idiom) to see through the illusions of the material world (often a precursor to becoming a Buddhist monk or nun); to become disillusioned with human society

tiānjīngshípò

天惊石破

[天驚石破]

see 石破天驚／石破天惊 (shípòtiānjīng)

jiāpòrénwáng

家破人亡

[家破人亡]

family bankrupt and the people dead (idiom); ruined and orphaned
destitute and homeless

pòdǎnhánxīn

破胆寒心

[破膽寒心]

to be scared out of one's wits

xiàopòdùpí

笑破肚皮

[笑破肚皮]

to split one's sides laughing

pòhuàihuódòng

破坏活动

[破壞活動]

sabotage; subversive activities

bùgōngzìpò

不攻自破

[不攻自破]

(of a rumor etc) to collapse (in the light of facts etc)
to be discredited

pòcáimiǎnzāi

破财免灾

[破財免災]

a financial loss may prevent disaster (idiom)

pòfǔchénzhōu

破釜沉舟

[破釜沉舟]

lit. to break the cauldrons and sink the boats (idiom); fig. to cut off one's means of retreat
to burn one's boats

pòjìngchóngyuán

破镜重圆

[破鏡重圓]

a shattered mirror put back together (idiom)
(of marriage) to pick up the pieces and start anew
for a separated couple to reconcile and reunite

yīyǔdàopò

一语道破

[一語道破]

one word says it all (idiom)
to hit the nail on the head
to be pithy and correct

chángfēngpòlàng

长风破浪

[長風破浪]

lit. to ride the wind and crest the waves
to be ambitious and unafraid (idiom)

pòwǎhányáo

破瓦寒窑

[破瓦寒窯]

lit. broken tiles, cold hearth; fig. a broken-down house
poor and shabby dwelling

yīyǔpòdì

一语破的

[一語破的]

see 一語中的／一语中的 (yīyǔzhòngdì)

sīpòliǎnpí

撕破脸皮

[撕破臉皮]

see 撕破臉／撕破脸 (sīpòliǎn)

guópòjiāwáng

国破家亡

[國破家亡]

the country ruined and the people starving (idiom)

pòpiànshāshāng

破片杀伤

[破片殺傷]

(military) fragmentation (grenade, bomb etc)

chéngfēngpòlàng

乘风破浪

[乘風破浪]

to brave the wind and the billows (idiom); to have high ambitions

shípòtiānjīng

石破天惊

[石破天驚]

earth-shattering
breakthrough
remarkable and original work

zhīlípòsuì

支离破碎

[支離破碎]

scattered and smashed (idiom)

tàpòtiěxié

踏破铁鞋

[踏破鐵鞋]

lit. to wear out one's iron shoes (idiom)
fig. to search high and low

duìchènpòquē

对称破缺

[對稱破缺]

symmetry breaking (physics)

pòzhànbǎichū

破绽百出

[破綻百出]

(of an argument, theory etc) full of flaws (idiom)

pòjiùlìxīn

破旧立新

[破舊立新]

to get rid of the old to bring in the new (idiom); to innovate

mópòzuǐpí

磨破嘴皮

[磨破嘴皮]

to talk until one is blue in the face

xìbāopòsuì

细胞破碎

[細胞破碎]

(biotechnology) cell disruption

xuānbùpòchǎn

宣布破产

[宣布破產]

to declare bankruptcy

pòchúmíxìn

破除迷信

[破除迷信]

to eliminate superstition (idiom)

bùpòbùlì

不破不立

[不破不立]

without destruction there can be no construction

tóupòxuèliú

头破血流

[頭破血流]

lit. head broken and blood flowing
fig. badly bruised

túyàngtúsēnpò

图样图森破

[圖樣圖森破]

(Internet slang) to have a simplistic view of sth (transcription of "too young, too simple" – English words spoken by Jiang Zemin 江澤民／江泽民 ( Jiāng Zémín) in chastizing Hong Kong reporters in 2000)

lǎoniúlāpòchē

老牛拉破车

[老牛拉破車]