구동사 시리즈 #7 – BREAK

📘 Phrasal Verb Series #7 – BREAK
🌿 Thinking in English: The Language of Change and Release
“To break” is not only to destroy —
it is to open, to release, and to begin again.
When we break, something ends —
but that ending often becomes the space for something new to grow. 🌱
💫 1️⃣ break down
To break down means to stop working — or to collapse emotionally.
Examples
- My car broke down on the way home. 🚗
- She broke down after hearing the bad news. 💔
👉 Feel it: “break down” means falling apart — physically or emotionally —
but sometimes, that’s how healing begins.
🌱 2️⃣ break up
To break up means to end a relationship or to separate into parts.
Examples
- They broke up after five years together. 💔
- The ice broke up as spring arrived. ❄️→🌸
👉 Feel it: “break up” carries sadness but also renewal —
it’s the end of form, not the end of life.
🌿 3️⃣ break out
To break out means to escape — or to suddenly appear.
Examples
- A fire broke out in the kitchen. 🔥
- She broke out of her comfort zone and started traveling alone. ✈️
👉 Feel it: “break out” = bursting beyond boundaries.
🌸 4️⃣ break in
To break in means to enter by force — or to soften something new.
Examples
- Someone broke in last night. 🚨
- These shoes are tight — I need to break them in. 👟
👉 Feel it: “break in” = intrusion or adaptation —
entering and adjusting at the same time.
💫 5️⃣ break into
To break into means to enter suddenly, or to start doing something energetically.
Examples
- He broke into a smile. 😊
- The thieves broke into the house.
- She broke into the music industry. 🎤
👉 Feel it: “break into” = a burst of entry — energy finding an opening.
🌾 6️⃣ break off
To break off means to end suddenly — a relationship, a deal, or a process.
Examples
- They broke off their engagement. 💍
- Talks were broken off after disagreement.
👉 Feel it: “break off” = cutting the thread cleanly.
🌊 7️⃣ break through
To break through means to overcome a barrier or reach success after effort.
Examples
- The sun broke through the clouds. ☀️
- She finally broke through her fear of public speaking. 🎤
👉 Feel it: “break through” = from limitation → liberation.
🌻 8️⃣ break away
To break away means to separate from control or join a new path.
Examples
- The group broke away from the main party.
- He broke away from tradition to start his own way. 🌿
👉 Feel it: “break away” = freedom with direction.
🌼 9️⃣ break out of
To break out of means to escape from confinement — physical or mental.
Examples
- The prisoners broke out of jail.
- She broke out of her old habits and found confidence.
👉 Feel it: “break out of” = liberation — the moment of self-birth.
🌷 10️⃣ break down into
To break down into means to divide into smaller parts for understanding.
Examples
- Let’s break down this problem into steps. 📘
- Water breaks down into hydrogen and oxygen. 💧
👉 Feel it: “break down into” = clarity through disassembly.
🌿 The Spirit of BREAK
| Collapse | break down / break up | 해체, 감정의 붕괴 |
| Escape | break out / break away / break out of | 탈출, 자유 |
| Endings | break off / break up | 단절, 전환 |
| New Openings | break through / break into | 돌파, 시작 |
| Clarity | break down into | 분석, 이해 |
🌸 Closing Thought
“To break is to change shape —
to open what was closed,
to rebuild what was broken.” 🌿
Every “break” is a doorway — not destruction,
but the beginning of something freer and truer.
© MisoEnglish / Michelle Kim. 이 글은 제가 직접 작성한 오리지널 콘텐츠입니다. 전체 복제나 무단 재게시를 금하며, 일부 인용 시에는 반드시 출처(MisoEnglish)와 링크를 남겨 주세요.