发泄

• Pinyin: fā xiè
• Hanzi breakdown: 发 = 弓 + 殳 — to release, emit; 泄 = 氵(water radical) + 世 (generation/world) — water draining away through the world, release of what has been contained

Meaning

To vent; to give vent to; to release pent-up emotions, frustrations, or energy through an outward action or expression.

Has a neutral-to-slightly-negative connotation depending on context and target. Healthy emotional release (writing, exercise) can be described approvingly; directing 发泄 at others is typically negative. Common in psychological and interpersonal discourse.

Examples

1. 心理咨询师建议她通过跑步或写日记来发泄积压已久的负面情绪，而不是将其转移到无辜的家人身上。 The counselor suggested she vent her long-bottled-up negative emotions by running or journaling, rather than taking them out on innocent family members.
2. 他把愤怒发泄在了一张白纸上，奋笔疾书了整整两页，写完后竟然感到内心平静了许多。 He vented his anger onto a blank sheet of paper, furiously writing for two full pages; when he finished, he actually felt much calmer inside.
3. 网络上有些人将社交平台当作发泄不满和仇恨的出口，这种行为不仅无益于解决问题，反而会加剧社会的对立情绪。 Some people online use social platforms as an outlet to vent dissatisfaction and hatred; this behavior not only doesn’t help solve problems, it also fuels social polarization.

Usage Guide

Context: psychology, interpersonal, social media, everyday

Tone: evaluative

Do Say

• 面对高压工作，健康的情绪发泄方式比长期压抑更重要。(Under intense work pressure, healthy emotional release matters more than long-term suppression.)
• 研究者认为，攻击性发泄未必能减少愤怒，反而可能强化攻击。(Researchers argue that aggressive venting may not reduce anger and may instead reinforce aggression.)

Don't Say

• 我发泄了我的压力在工作上 — 发泄 typically vents emotion onto a target or through an activity; say 我把压力发泄在工作上 or 我通过运动发泄了压力 for natural collocation

Origin & History

发 (to release/emit) + 泄 (to leak/drain/vent) — to release or drain out pent-up emotion

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal