离婚 (lí hūn) literally means 'to depart from marriage' — the character 离 (lí) means 'to separate, leave, or part from', and 婚 (hūn) means 'marriage' or 'wedding'. Together, they form a verb meaning 'to divorce': the formal legal termination of a marital relationship. It is used in both spoken and written Chinese, often in serious or official contexts such as legal documents, news reports, or personal discussions about relationship breakdowns.

The word implies mutual or unilateral dissolution of marriage through legal procedures, not merely separation or breakup without formal divorce. Unlike informal terms like 分手 (fēn shǒu, 'to break up'), 离婚 carries legal weight and social significance, frequently appearing in discussions about family law, emotional well-being, or life transitions. It can also function as a noun (e.g., 办理离婚 'process a divorce'), but its primary grammatical role is verbal.