跌

• Pinyin: diē
• Hanzi breakdown: 跌 = 足 (foot) + 失 (to lose, phonetic) — stumbling or losing footing

Meaning

To fall; to drop; to tumble. Used for physical falls or decreases in value, price, or status.

Frequently used in financial contexts: 股票跌了 (stocks fell), 房价大跌 (housing prices dropped sharply). Also describes physical stumbling or falling. Related expressions include 跌倒 (to fall down), 跌宕起伏 (full of twists and turns), and 暴跌 (to plummet).

Examples

1. 昨天股市大跌，很多投资者都亏了不少钱。 The stock market dropped sharply yesterday, and many investors lost quite a bit of money.
2. 奶奶下楼梯的时候不小心跌了一跤，还好没受伤。 Grandma accidentally took a fall while going down the stairs, but fortunately she wasn't hurt.
3. 这款手机刚上市时很贵，现在价格已经跌了一半。 This phone was very expensive when it first came out, but now the price has dropped by half.

Usage Guide

Context: finance, everyday, news

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 油价连续跌了三个月，加油便宜多了。(Oil prices have been falling for three months straight; filling up is much cheaper.)
• 小心路滑，别跌倒了。(Be careful, the road is slippery, don't fall.)

Don't Say

• 用跌来形容东西掉在地上 (For objects falling to the ground, use 掉 rather than 跌 — 跌 is mainly for people falling or prices dropping)

Origin & History

Pictophonetic character: 足 (foot) radical + 失 (to lose) phonetic component. The foot radical suggests movement or stumbling, while 失 contributes the sound.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal