下跌

• Pinyin: xià diē
• Hanzi breakdown: 下 = 一 + ト (downward — below); 跌 = 足 + 失 (foot radical + lose — to stumble, fall)

Meaning

To fall; to drop; to decline. Used for prices, stock markets, exchange rates, temperatures, or other measurable quantities that decrease.

A formal term used in financial, economic, and data contexts. Implies a significant or sustained decline, more formal than just 降 (lower). Contrasts with 上涨 (rise, increase). Common in financial news.

Examples

1. 受全球经济放缓影响，大宗商品价格普遍出现下跌。 Affected by the global economic slowdown, commodity prices have generally fallen.
2. 股市今日大幅下跌，多只权重股跌停，投资者情绪普遍悲观。 The stock market plunged today; many heavyweight stocks hit their down limits, and investor sentiment was broadly pessimistic.
3. 汇率的持续下跌给出口企业带来了巨大的成本压力。 The continuing fall in the exchange rate has put enormous cost pressure on exporting companies.

Usage Guide

Context: finance, economics, markets, business news, data analysis

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 宏观分析师称，本轮大宗商品价格下跌是全球需求收缩、美元走强和产量增加共同造成的，短期内企稳条件仍不成熟。(The macro analyst said this round of commodity price declines was caused by shrinking global demand, a stronger dollar, and rising output, and that the conditions for short-term stabilisation are still not mature.)
• 央行报告称，汇率下跌短期利好出口，但若跌幅过大、持续过久，会推高进口成本和通胀预期，因此需保持基本稳定。(The central bank report said that a falling exchange rate helps exports in the short term, but if the decline is too large and lasts too long, it will raise import costs and inflation expectations, so basic stability must be maintained.)

Don't Say

• 下跌 for physical objects falling — it is used specifically for abstract measurable values such as prices, rates, and indices; for a physical object falling use 落下 or 跌落

Origin & History

下 (downward) + 跌 (fall, stumble — 足 + 失, foot + lose = to lose one's footing, fall) — to fall downward, used for prices and values

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal