发放

• Pinyin: fā fàng
• Hanzi breakdown: 发 = send out; 放 = 方 (direction) + 攵 (action) — release in a direction

Meaning

To distribute; to issue; to hand out. Official distribution of money, materials, documents, or benefits.

Used for formal, organized distribution by institutions: 发放工资 (issue salary), 发放贷款 (issue loans), 发放救济物资 (distribute relief supplies), 发放证件 (issue documents). More official than 分发 or 发, implying systematic distribution with records.

Examples

1. 公司每月十号发放工资，从来没有拖欠过。 The company issues salaries on the 10th of each month and has never delayed payment.
2. 政府向受灾群众发放了生活必需品和临时补助金。 The government distributed daily necessities and temporary subsidies to disaster victims.
3. 银行收紧了贷款发放条件，很多小企业借不到钱了。 Banks have tightened loan issuance conditions, and many small businesses can't borrow money now.

Usage Guide

Context: government, business, institutions

Tone: official

Do Say

• 学校什么时候发放录取通知书？(When will the school issue admission letters?)
• 这批物资已经发放到各个灾区了。(These supplies have already been distributed to all disaster areas.)

Don't Say

• 用发放来描述朋友间随便分东西 (Don't use 发放 for casual sharing among friends — it's too formal; use 分 or 给 instead)

Origin & History

Compound of 发 (send out) + 放 (release). Together they mean releasing/sending out items in a controlled manner.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal