HSK · Level 76
45 words
Chinese word
间断
Pronunciation
Pinyinjiàn duàn
Meaning
- verbinterrupt
Example
电话间断了，我听不到对方。diàn huà jiàn duàn le wǒ tīng bú dào duì fāng
The phone call was interrupted, so I couldn't hear the other person.
More examples
路由器故障导致教室间断上网，影响了授课。lù yóu qì gù zhàng dǎo zhì jiào shì jiàn duàn shàng wǎng yíng xiǎng le shòu kè
A router failure caused intermittent internet access in the classroom, affecting the lesson.
Core concept
Progress happens in stretches, with gaps that may be followed by more progress.
Common phrases
间断上网jiàn duàn shàng wǎng
intermittent internet access
间断联系jiàn duàn lián xì
intermittent contact
Similar words
中断zhōng duàn: The progress of an activity stops midway and later starts again.
停顿tíng dùn: A temporary stop creates a short gap in an activity that can continue afterward.
断开duàn kāi: A link or connection is broken, leaving the connected parts apart.
终止zhōng zhǐ: An action or procedure is stopped for good and brought to its final end.
Definition in Chinese
指事物在进行过程中出现断续性停止，虽有中断但可能再次继续。zhǐ shì wù zài jìn xíng guò chéng zhōng chū xiàn duàn xù xìng tíng zhǐ suī yǒu zhōng duàn dàn kě néng zài cì jì xù
Word origin
间 (jiàn, "gap") + 断 (duàn, "break off") presents a continuing process as one marked by breaks.
Usage tips
- In everyday English, stop often sounds final, while this word can describe a pause in a phone call or service that resumes after a gap.