放下

• Pinyin: fàng xia
• Hanzi breakdown: 放 (fàng) — to release, to put; 下 (xia) — down, directional complement

Meaning

To put down; to let go of. Can refer to physically setting something down or emotionally letting go of worries.

Has both a concrete meaning (put an object down) and an abstract meaning (let go of emotions, worries, or grudges). The abstract usage is very common in everyday advice and self-help contexts.

Examples

1. 请把书放下，我们去吃饭吧。 Please put the book down — let's go eat.
2. 她终于放下了心里的烦恼。 She finally let go of the worries in her heart.
3. 放下手机，早点睡觉。 Put down your phone and go to sleep early.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, emotional advice, instructions

Tone: direct

Do Say

• 把东西放下吧，先休息一会儿。(Put the stuff down — take a break first.)
• 你应该放下过去，向前看。(You should let go of the past and look forward.)

Don't Say

• 不要把'放下'和'放弃'混淆 — 放下 means to let go peacefully, while 放弃 means to give up or abandon entirely (Don't say 我放下了学中文 when you mean 我放弃了).

Origin & History

Compound of 放 (to release, to put) and 下 (down, directional complement). The directional complement 下 adds the sense of downward placement.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal