下水 (xià shui) — to enter the water (of a person or animal); to be launched (of a ship); (figurative) to go astray, to take to wrongdoing
Definition
A versatile verb covering two physical senses ('enter the water' for a person/animal; 'be launched' for a ship) and a figurative sense ('go astray, take to wrongdoing'). The figurative use is the most distinctive to remember.
verb
to enter the water (of a person or animal)to be launched (of a ship)(figurative) to go astrayto take to wrongdoing
Examples
- ，。Tā tiào jìn hé lǐ, hěn kuài jiù xià le shuǐ.He jumped into the river and quickly got into the water.
- 下水。Zhè sōu xīn chuán míng tiān zhèng shì xià shui.This new ship will be officially launched tomorrow.
- ，。Tā jiāo le huài péng you, hòu lái jiù xià le shuǐ.He made bad friends and later went astray.
Appears in
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