丢掉

• Pinyin: diū diào
• Hanzi breakdown: 丢 = 一 + 去 (to lose, drop — something that has gone away); 掉 = 扌+ 卓 (resultative complement: to drop, fall off, separate from)

Meaning

To lose; to throw away; to discard. Covers both accidental loss and deliberate casting aside of something.

Can refer to physical objects, habits, opportunities, values, or abstract qualities. Tone shifts with context: accidental 丢掉 conveys regret; deliberate 丢掉 can be liberating (丢掉包袱 — shed one's burden). Common in motivational language and social commentary.

Examples

1. 他粗心大意，在地铁上丢掉了钱包和所有重要证件。 He was careless and lost his wallet and all his important IDs on the subway.
2. 改革的关键在于丢掉旧有的思维定势，以开放的心态拥抱新的挑战与机遇。 The key to reform is letting go of old fixed ways of thinking and embracing new challenges and opportunities with an open mind.
3. 她下定决心丢掉多年来对失败的恐惧，重新出发去追寻属于自己的梦想。 She made up her mind to let go of her fear of failure built up over the years and start over to pursue her own dreams.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday speech, motivational, social commentary, loss

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 经历了这次挫折，他终于彻底丢掉了曾经的傲慢与自大，变得谦逊踏实。(After this setback, he finally shed his former arrogance completely and became humble and grounded.)
• 数字化转型迫使传统企业丢掉过时的运营模式，重新设计以客户体验为核心的业务流程。(Digital transformation forces traditional companies to discard outdated operating models and redesign business processes centred on customer experience.)

Don't Say

• 丢掉这个想法 is natural, but avoid 把想法丢掉了 in writing — prefer 放弃了这个想法 or 抛弃了这个念头 in formal registers where 丢掉 may sound too colloquial

Origin & History

丢 (lose/drop) + 掉 (resultative complement indicating separation or completion)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal