occur for the first time; unprecedented; groundbreaking
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesverb
to occur for the first time; to break new ground; unprecedented
Originates from the Tang Dynasty story of Liu Tui, the first candidate from Jingzhou to pass the imperial exam, breaking the region's long streak of failures (天荒). Often used as an adverbial phrase (破天荒地) to emphasize that something is happening for the very first time.
Tā他
pò破
tiān天
huāng荒
de地
zhǔ主
dòng动
dào道
qiàn歉
le了
。
For the first time ever, he took the initiative to apologize.
Zhè这
shì是
pò破
tiān天
huāng荒
tóu头
yī一
huí回
yǒu有
Zhōng中
guó国
xuǎn选
shǒu手
huò获
dé得
jīn金
pái牌
。
This is the first time in history that a Chinese contestant has won the gold medal.
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Zhè这
jiā家
gōng公
sī司
pò破
tiān天
huāng荒
shí实
xiàn现
le了
quán全
nián年
líng零
tóu投
sù诉
。
This company achieved zero complaints for the entire year for the first time ever.
Pò破
tiān天
huāng荒
！
Xué学
xiào校
jué决
dìng定
qǔ取
xiāo消
qī期
mò末
kǎo考
shì试
。
Unprecedented! The school has decided to cancel the final exams.