突破

とっぱ

breaking through, breakthrough, penetration

JLPT N1

Character Breakdown

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 (break through a difficult problem)
  • Business or sales milestones: 突破销售 (break through sales figures)
  • Personal or physical limits: 突破极限 (break through limits)

Collocations and Patterns

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 , 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.

Example Sentences

The scientists finally broke through this difficult problem.

This company broke through the 100 million yuan sales mark.

The athlete broke through his own limits during the competition.