Usage of 撞 (zhuàng)
The verb 撞 primarily means "to knock against" or "to collide with." It is commonly used to describe physical impacts, such as bumping into objects or collisions between vehicles. For example, you can say 他撞到了桌子 (He bumped into the table).
Besides physical collisions, 撞 is also frequently used in a more figurative or casual sense to mean "to run into" or "to meet by chance." For instance, 我们撞见了老同学 means "We ran into an old classmate."
Common Collocations
- 撞车 (zhuàng chē): car collision, used in traffic accident contexts.
- 撞见 (zhuàng jiàn): to run into someone unexpectedly.
- 撞墙 (zhuàng qiáng): literally "to hit a wall," often used metaphorically for encountering a problem.
Notes
When using 撞 to describe collisions, it often implies an accidental or unintended impact. It can be used both for animate and inanimate objects. When used in the sense of "running into someone," it conveys a casual or unexpected meeting.
Avoid confusing 撞 with 碰 (pèng), which also means "to touch" or "to bump," but 撞 often implies a stronger impact or collision.