Definition
拆台 is a separable verb (离合词) meaning 'to undercut, to sabotage someone's plans or reputation' — literally 'to dismantle the stage.' You can split the two parts: the verb 拆 takes a target (某人) before 台, as in 拆他的台 ('undercut him'), or insert 了/过 between them: 拆了台. It's always used in a social context where someone deliberately spoils another person's efforts or makes them lose face.
v.o.
to undercutto sabotage (someone's plans or public image)
Examples
- ，。Tā zài huì shàng gùyì chāi wǒ de tái, ràng wǒ hěn nánkān.He deliberately undercut me at the meeting and made me very embarrassed.
- ，。Nǐ bié zǒng chāi duìyǒu de tái, dàjiā yào tuánjié.Don't always sabotage your teammates; we need to stick together.
- ，。Nà cì huódòng tā chāi le tái, jiéguǒ gǎo zá le.He sabotaged that event, and it ended up a mess.
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