Chinese word

下台

Pronunciation

Pinyinxià tái

Meaning

  • verbstep down

Example

那位官员在压力下决定下台。nà wèi guān yuán zài yā lì xià jué dìng xià tái

Under pressure, the official decided to step down.

Illustration for 下台 (step down)

More examples

面对抗议，他最终被迫下台。miàn duì kàng yì tā zuì zhōng bèi pò xià tái

Facing protests, he was ultimately forced to step down.

Core concept

A person leaves a raised platform that stands for a visible role, linking a performer's exit with the loss of an official's position.

Common phrases

  • 宣布下台xuān bù xià tái

    announce one's resignation

  • 被迫下台bèi pò xià tái

    be forced to step down

  • 主动下台zhǔ dòng xià tái

    voluntarily step down

Similar words

辞职cí zhí: To resign from a job or position by personal choice.
离职lí zhí: To leave a job or position and stop working in it.
下野xià yě: To leave public office as a politician.
罢免bà miǎn: To be officially removed from a position against one's will.

Definition in Chinese

退出（台上）的位置或辞去职务；用于指演出时退场或指官员因被迫或失势而离开岗位。tuì chū tái shàng de wèi zhì huò cí qù zhí wù yòng yú zhǐ yǎn chū shí tuì chǎng huò zhǐ guān yuán yīn bèi pò huò shī shì ér lí kāi gǎng wèi

Word origin

下 (xià, "down") + 台 (tái, "platform") literally describes stepping down from a raised platform, then extends from a performer's stage exit to leaving a position of authority.

Usage tips

  • The word alone does not show whether the departure is voluntary, pressured, or caused by defeat, so the surrounding context supplies that important detail.

Other meanings

  • exit the stageverb
  • fall from powerverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word