What does "count down" mean?

To count backwards to zero To wait by counting the remaining time to an event.

How do you use "count down" in a sentence?

Counting down to the New Year. The countdown has begun. We're counting down the days.

Phrasal Verb BritishAmericanAustralian ★★★★★ Very Common Neutral

Meaning: To count backwards to zero

倒数到零

Contar hacia atrás hasta cero

ゼロまでカウントダウンする

0까지 거꾸로 세다

To wait by counting the remaining time to an event.

通过数剩余时间来等待某个事件。

Esperar contando el tiempo restante hasta un evento.

イベントまでの残り時間を数えながら待つこと。

어떤 행사까지 남은 시간을 세며 기다리는 것.

Base verb: count

Particle: down

Separable: No — the verb and particle stay together

Counting down to the New Year.
新年倒计时
Contando los días para el Año Nuevo
新年に向けてカウントダウン中
새해를 향해 카운트다운 중.
The countdown has begun.
倒计时已经开始
La cuenta atrás ha comenzado
カウントダウンが始まった
카운트다운이 시작됐어.
We're counting down the days.
我们在倒数日子
Estamos contando los días
残り日数を数えている
남은 날을 세고 있어.

Context: anticipation, events, launches

Tone: excited

From counting numbers in descending order.

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal