摆脱

• Pinyin: bǎi tuō
• Hanzi breakdown: 摆 = 扌(hand) + 罢 (phonetic); 脱 = 月 (flesh) + 兑 (phonetic), meaning shed/escape

Meaning

To break free from; to get rid of; to shake off. Describes freeing oneself from a constraint or burden.

Used for both physical and abstract liberation — escaping a pursuer, overcoming a bad habit, leaving behind poverty, or freeing oneself from emotional burdens. Implies active effort to free oneself from something unwanted.

Examples

1. 他终于摆脱了多年的坏习惯，开始了新的生活。 He finally broke free from his years-long bad habit and started a new life.
2. 这个运动员成功摆脱了对手的防守，完成了进球。 The athlete successfully shook off the opponent's defence and scored a goal.
3. 很多年轻人想摆脱父母的安排，自己做决定。 Many young people want to break free from their parents' arrangements and make their own decisions.

Usage Guide

Context: personal growth, sports, everyday

Tone: determined

Do Say

• 她努力摆脱困境，最终成功了。(She worked hard to break free from her difficulties and eventually succeeded.)
• 要摆脱不好的情绪，可以多运动。(To get rid of negative emotions, you can exercise more.)

Don't Say

• 说'我摆脱了这件衣服' (Don't use 摆脱 for taking off clothes — that's 脱; 摆脱 is for escaping unwanted situations or burdens)

Origin & History

A compound of 摆 (to move, to swing) and 脱 (to shed, to escape). Together they mean to shake something off, like shaking free from a restraint.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal