break off
Chinese meaning
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Example
Manhattan-sized ice island breaks off Greenland’s Petermann Glacier
Source: ScienceDaily · 26 Aug 2026
Background ✎
Roots · etymology
由break(折断)+off(脱离)复合而成
- break(折断)+ off(脱离主体)
Collocations
- break off a piece / break off relations / break off from
Chinese usage notes
AI-assisted learning material in Chinese (without pinyin). Original examples below are not news quotations. Editorial process
Usage · 用法
break off 可表示折断一部分，也可表示中断谈判、断绝关系或突然停止说话。先确认宾语：talks 是谈判，a piece 是物体的一部分。
Distinction · 辨析
与 call off 有重叠，但 break off talks 强调谈判中断，不能概括成一切活动开始前的取消。She broke off mid-sentence 是话说到一半停下。
Collocations · 常见搭配
- break off talks
- break off a piece
- break off mid-sentence
Original teaching example (not a news quotation)
The two teams broke off talks after failing to agree on the schedule.
两支团队未能就时间安排达成一致，随后中断了谈判。
Usage references
Learning topics (Chinese)
