‘炸弹’ (zhà dàn) is a compound noun meaning 'bomb' — a weapon designed to explode and cause destruction. The first character 炸 (zhà) means 'to explode' or 'to blast', conveying the violent, sudden release of energy; the second character 弹 (dàn) means 'bullet' or 'projectile', indicating something launched or explosive in nature. Together, they form a precise technical term for an explosive device, commonly used in military, security, news, and safety contexts.

In everyday Chinese, 炸弹 appears in both literal and figurative senses: literally in reports about warfare or counter-terrorism; figuratively in expressions like ‘网络炸弹’ (internet bomb), referring to viral online content, or ‘情感炸弹’ (emotional bomb), describing shocking personal revelations. It carries strong connotations of danger, urgency, and impact — never used lightly or humorously without clear context.