倒下

• Pinyin: dǎo xia
• Hanzi breakdown: 倒 = 亻 + 到 (to fall); 下 = directional complement indicating downward motion

Meaning

To fall down; to collapse; to go down. A verb describing the act of falling or toppling, used for both people and objects.

More versatile than 倒塌 — used for people, animals, and objects falling down due to injury, exhaustion, defeat, or loss of consciousness. Also used figuratively for heroes or defenders who fall in battle or sacrifice.

Examples

1. 马拉松赛道上，多名选手因体力透支而相继倒下。 On the marathon course, several runners collapsed one after another from exhaustion.
2. 那棵百年老树在台风中轰然倒下，令村民感到无比惋惜。 That century-old tree came crashing down in the typhoon, leaving the villagers feeling deeply regretful.
3. 他在战场上英勇奋战，最终为保卫国家而倒下。 He fought bravely on the battlefield and ultimately fell while defending his country.

Usage Guide

Context: physical action, sports, narrative

Tone: dramatic

Do Say

• 他突然倒下了。(He suddenly fell down.)
• 一棵大树倒下了。(A large tree fell down.)

Don't Say

• 公司倒下了 — use 倒闭 for company failure; 倒下 implies physical falling or figurative heroic defeat

Origin & History

倒 (to fall) + 下 (down). Together indicating falling in a downward direction.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal