How to Write 崩 (bēng) — Meaning “To collapse / to burst”

Picture a mountain (山) with two friends (朋) standing on top of it. Their combined weight is too heavy, so the mountain cracks and collapses with a loud "bēng" sound. This image links the shape to the meaning of collapse.

Write the top 山 first with three strokes, making it slightly flat so it covers the bottom part. Then write 朋 as two 月 (moon) shapes side by side, each with four strokes; keep them balanced and not too wide. A common mistake is making 朋 too tall or uneven, which throws off the character's proportions.

崩 (bēng) means to collapse or burst, while 峋 (xún) appears in the word 嶙峋 meaning rugged or jagged (like rocks). 峇 is a rare character (sometimes read kè or bā) mostly used in proper names. Visually, 崩 has 山 + 朋, 峋 has 山 + 旬, and 峇 has 山 + 合, so the bottom components are completely different.

崩 is most often used in the common word 崩溃 (bēngkuì), which describes a mental breakdown, system crash, or sudden collapse. It also appears in 雪崩 (xuěbēng, avalanche) and 崩塌 (bēngtā, landslide). Historically, 崩 was used for an emperor's death, but today it is mostly about physical or emotional collapse.

Common words containing 崩 include: 崩溃 (bēng kuì) — To collapse / breakdown; 雪崩 (xuě bēng) — avalanche; 崩塌 (bēng tā) — To collapse / landslide.