落

• Pinyin: luò
• Hanzi breakdown: 落 = 艹 (grass/plant) + 氵(water) + 各 (each, phonetic) — leaves falling like water from plants

Meaning

To fall; to drop; to decline; to leave behind. A versatile verb describing downward movement or being left in a place.

Has multiple pronunciations and meanings: luò (fall, drop, settle), là (leave behind, lag behind), lào (used in some set phrases like 落枕). The most common reading is luò. Used for leaves falling, sun setting, prices dropping, and being left behind. Appears in many compounds: 落后 (lag behind), 落地 (land), 降落 (descend).

Examples

1. 秋天到了，树叶纷纷落了下来。 Autumn has arrived, and the leaves are falling one after another.
2. 太阳慢慢地落到了山后面。 The sun slowly set behind the mountain.
3. 雨点落在窗户上，发出轻轻的声音。 Raindrops fell on the window, making a soft sound.

Usage Guide

Context: nature, everyday, description

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 别把东西落在出租车上了。(Don't leave your things behind in the taxi.)
• 飞机平稳地降落了。(The plane landed smoothly.)

Don't Say

• 我落了考试 — 落 does not mean 'to fail'; for failing an exam, use 没考过 or 没通过

Origin & History

落 combines 艹 (grass) with 洛 (a river name, phonetic), originally depicting leaves falling from plants, then generalizing to any downward motion.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal