搁

• Pinyin: gē
• Hanzi breakdown: 搁 = 扌 (hand — action with hand) + 阁 (pavilion, phonetic component — to rest/set)

Meaning

To put; to place; to set down; to leave something in a particular spot.

A versatile verb common in northern Chinese everyday speech. Can mean to place an object somewhere, to leave something aside temporarily, or — combined with other words — to suspend a project. Closely related to 放, but often more colloquial and implies setting something down without careful arrangement.

Examples

1. 他随手把公文包搁在椅子旁边，坐下来喘口气。 He casually set his briefcase by the chair, sat down, and caught his breath.
2. 这个问题暂时搁在那里，等下次开会再集中讨论处理。 Let’s set this issue aside for now and discuss it together at the next meeting.
3. 你先把这些文件搁到我桌上，我等会儿再整理归档。 Put these documents on my desk first, and I’ll organize and file them later.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, colloquial

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 把东西搁在这儿，别乱放。(Put things here — don't leave them scattered all over the place.)
• 这件事先搁着，等条件成熟了再推进。(Set this matter aside for now — we can move forward once the conditions are right.)

Don't Say

• 搁食物进嘴里 — 搁 is not used for putting food into the mouth; use 放 or 塞 for that action

Origin & History

搁 = 扌(hand radical) + 阁 (pavilion — phonetic; implies resting/placing)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal