bust

Compared meaning: a failure (noun).

比较义项：失败（名词）。

• bust 本词

  Refers to a plan, project, or venture that collapses or fails to work out, often after starting with promise; frequently paired with 'complete' or 'total' and used for business or financial failures.

  指原本有希望、结果却崩溃或落空的计划、项目或事业，常与“complete”“total”搭配，多用于商业或财务上的失败。

  Their new startup turned out to be a complete bust, losing money within months.

  他们的新创公司结果彻底失败，几个月内就开始亏钱。

• flop

  Refers specifically to a show, movie, product, or performance that fails to attract an audience or sell well, emphasizing public or commercial rejection rather than financial collapse.

  专指演出、电影、产品等未能吸引观众或销路惨淡，强调公众或商业上的冷遇，而非财务上的崩溃。

  The new movie was a total flop at the box office, earning almost nothing.

  这部新电影票房彻底失败，几乎没有收入。

Bust and flop both mean a failure, in informal use. Bust refers to a plan, project, or business that collapses after starting with promise. Flop refers specifically to a show, movie, or product that fails to attract an audience or sell well.

两词都可指某件事、计划或作品彻底失败，语气都偏口语、非正式；bust 常指本来有希望却崩溃收场的计划或生意，flop 则专指作品、演出或产品不受欢迎、反响惨淡。这里不比较 bust 的“半身像”或“突击搜查、逮捕”等义项，也不比较 flop 作动词时“扑通倒下”的义项。

Compared meaning: to break something (verb).

比较义项：打破、使碎裂（动词）。

• break

  The neutral, most common word for something separating into pieces; works in almost any register and with almost any object.

  这是表示物体碎裂、分裂最中性、最常用的词，几乎适用于任何语域和任何物体。

  She dropped the vase and it broke into a dozen pieces.

  她把花瓶摔到地上，摔成了十几片碎片。

• bust 本词

  An informal, often emphatic word implying a sudden or forceful breaking; common in casual speech, sometimes suggests the thing is now useless.

  这是一个非正式、语气较重的词，暗示突然或猛烈地弄坏；常用于口语，有时暗示东西已经报废无用。

  He got so angry he busted the old radio against the wall.

  他气得把那台旧收音机往墙上一摔，摔坏了。

Break and bust both mean to break something. Break is the neutral, most common word, working for almost any object in any situation. Bust is informal, often suggesting a sudden or forceful break, and sometimes implies the thing is now useless.

两词都指外力造成物体分裂损坏，但 bust 语气更随意、口语化，常带有突然、猛烈或彻底损坏的意味；break 是最常见、最中性的说法。这里不比较 bust 的“使破产”义或作名词表示“失败之事”。