Chinese word

下乡

Pronunciation

Pinyinxià xiāng

Meaning

verbgo to the countryside

Example

下个月我打算下乡帮爷爷干活。xià gè yuè wǒ dǎ suàn xià xiāng bāng yé yé gàn huó

Next month I plan to go to the countryside to help my grandpa do some work.

Illustration for 下乡 (go to the countryside)

More examples

记者跟着扶贫队下乡采访当地的生活状况。jì zhě gēn zhe fú pín duì xià xiāng cái fǎng dāng dì de shēng huó zhuàng kuàng

The reporter followed the poverty-relief team to the countryside to cover local living conditions.

Core concept

A journey that leaves the city or home area and enters villages and farming country.

Common phrases

下乡扶贫xià xiāng fú pín
go to the countryside to fight poverty
下乡考察xià xiāng kǎo chá
go to the countryside for an inspection

Similar words

回家huí jiā: Going back to one's usual home.
回老家huí lǎo jiā: Going back to the home of one's family or ancestors.
去农村qù nóng cūn: Traveling to the countryside.

Definition in Chinese

到农村或乡镇去，表示从城市或居住地前往乡下的行为。dào nóng cūn huò xiāng zhèn qù biǎo shì cóng chéng shì huò jū zhù dì qián wǎng xiāng xià de xíng wéi

Word origin

The word joins 下 (xià, "down"), a movement element, with 乡 (xiāng, "rural area"), so its form pictures going down from an urban place into the countryside.

Usage tips

The word often describes a temporary change of setting for a practical purpose, rather than a permanent move or a simple return to a family home.

Opposites

进城jìn chénggo to the cityverb