Usage note
拆表示把整体分开。
chāi biǎo shì bǎ zhěng tǐ fēn kāi。
拆 means to take something apart or separate it.
Context note
拆常用于房子、礼物和物品。
chāi cháng yòng yú fáng zi 、 lǐ wù hé wù pǐn。
It is often used with houses, gifts, and objects.
5 examples
请拆开包装。
qǐng chāi kāi bāo zhuāng。
Please open the packaging.
他们拆了旧房子。
tā men chāi le jiù fáng zi。
They took down the old house.
不要拆这个机器。
bú yào chāi zhè ge jī qì。
Do not take apart this machine.
孩子想拆礼物。
hái zi xiǎng chāi lǐ wù。
The child wants to open the gift.
他把玩具拆开看。
tā bǎ wán jù chāi kāi kàn。
He took apart the toy to look inside.
5 mini stories
收到礼物后，他马上拆开。
shōu dào lǐ wù hòu， tā mǎ shàng chāi kāi。
After receiving the gift, he opened it immediately.
工人正在拆旧广告牌。
gōng rén zhèng zài chāi jiù guǎng gào pái。
Workers are taking down the old billboard.
孩子好奇地把车拆了。
hái zi hào qí dì bǎ chē chāi le。
The child curiously took the car apart.
老师说不要随便拆东西。
lǎo shī shuō bú yào suí biàn chāi dōng xī。
The teacher said not to take things apart casually.
他想拆开看看里面有什么。
tā xiǎng chāi kāi kàn kàn lǐ miàn yǒu shén me。
He wanted to open it and see what was inside.
Mini dialogue
拆礼物
A
生日礼物可以拆开吗？
Shēngrì lǐwù kěyǐ chāi kāi ma?
Can I open the birthday present?
B
当然，快拆开看看吧！
Dāngrán, kuài chāi kāi kànkan ba!
Of course, open it quickly and see!
拆积木
A
我们一起来拆这个积木塔。
Wǒmen yīqǐ lái chāi zhège jīmù tǎ.
Let's take apart this block tower together.
B
小心一点拆，别弄坏了。
Xiǎoxīn yīdiǎn chāi, bié nòng huài le.
Take it apart carefully. Don't break it.
Related words and contrasts
opposite
装
zhuāng
to assemble; install
To put parts together, the opposite of taking apart.
related
打开
dǎkāi
to open
Often the first step before dismantling something.
contrast
破坏
pòhuài
to destroy; damage
To break something roughly, while 拆 is more careful.