Definition
暴发 describes something that erupts suddenly and intensely — a disease outbreak (疫情暴发), a natural disaster (山洪暴发), or a person who acquires wealth or status abruptly (暴发户). The focus is on the sudden, violent onset, often with negative or dramatic connotations. It's distinct from 爆发 (bàofā), which is used for volcanoes, wars, and emotional outbursts — 暴发 emphasizes the suddenness of natural or social phenomena, while 爆发 emphasizes the explosive force itself.
v.
(of disease, flood, etc.) to break out suddenlyto erupt(of a person) to suddenly become rich or important (often pejorative)
Examples
- 暴发。Qùnián zhège dìqū bào fā le yánzhòng de hóngshuǐ.Severe floods broke out in this region last year.
- 暴发，。Yìqíng bào fā hòu, zhèngfǔ lìjí cǎiqǔ le cuòshī.After the epidemic broke out, the government immediately took measures.
- ，。Tā zuò shēngyi zhuàn le hěn duō qián, chéng le bào fā hù.He made a lot of money in business and became an upstart (someone who suddenly got rich).
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