Meaning and Usage
"突破" (tū pò) literally means "to break through" and is used to describe overcoming obstacles, limits, or barriers. It often appears in contexts involving challenges, achievements, or surpassing thresholds.
Common Contexts
- Scientific or technical breakthroughs: 突破难题 (break through a difficult problem)
- Business or sales milestones: 突破销售额 (break through sales figures)
- Personal or physical limits: 突破极限 (break through limits)
Collocations and Patterns
- 突破 + 难题/瓶颈: to overcome a difficult problem or bottleneck
- 突破 + 记录/极限: to break a record or limit
- 突破 + 阻碍/障碍: to break through obstacles
Nuances
Using 突破 implies a significant effort and success in overcoming something that was previously difficult or impossible. It carries a positive and often triumphant tone. It is more formal and often used in written or formal spoken Chinese.
Common Confusions
Do not confuse 突破 with 打破, which also means "to break" but is more general and can refer to breaking physical objects or rules. 突破 emphasizes surpassing limits or barriers rather than just breaking something physically.