Chinese word

放下

Pronunciation

Pinyinfàng xià

Meaning

  • verbput down

Example

放下手机，陪我吃饭好吗？fàng xià shǒu jī péi wǒ chī fàn hǎo ma

Put your phone down and eat with me, okay?

Illustration for 放下 (put down)

More examples

开车时请把手机放下。kāi chē shí qǐng bǎ shǒu jī fàng xià

Please put down your phone while driving.

Core concept

Release something from the hands to a lower place, or release a thought so the mind no longer holds it.

Common phrases

  • 放下手机fàng xià shǒu jī

    put down one's phone

  • 放下包fàng xià bāo

    put down one's bag

Similar words

放fàng: Putting an object somewhere.
扔rēng: Sending an object through the air with a forceful throw.
丢diū: Misplacing an object and no longer having it at hand.
放弃fàng qì: Abandoning a goal or stopping an activity.

Definition in Chinese

把手中的东西置于较低处或别处以解除占有，也可引申为放弃念头或不再挂念某事。bǎ shǒu zhōng de dōng xī zhì yú jiào dī chù huò bié chù yǐ jiě chú zhàn yǒu yě kě yǐn shēn wèi fàng qì niàn tou huò bú zài guà niàn mǒu shì

Word origin

放 (fàng, "release") + 下 (xià, "down") forms a picture of releasing something downward, which naturally extends to releasing a thought from the mind.

Usage tips

  • English often separates the physical and emotional uses into different phrases, while Chinese keeps one common verb for both, so the shared idea of release is worth noticing.

Other meanings

  • give upverb

Opposites

  • 拿起ná qǐpick upverb

Word lists with this word