安放 (ān fàng) — to place; to put (in a certain position)

Definition

Literate, careful way to say 'place/put somewhere' — used for objects of value (photos, art, remains), more deliberate and formal than the plain 放.

verb
to placeto put (in a certain position)

Examples

  • 安放。
    Tā bǎ zhào piàn xiǎo xīn dì ān fàng zài zhuō zi shàng.
    He carefully placed the photo on the table.
  • 安放。
    Bó wù guǎn lǐ ān fàng zhe xǔ duō zhēn guì de yì shù pǐn.
    The museum houses many precious artworks.
  • 安放。
    Qǐng bǎ shū ān fàng zài shū jià zuì shàng miàn.
    Please put the book on the top shelf.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

安ānset
放fàngput

安 means set and 放 means put: place.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
宀宀mián
Sound part声符shēngfú
女
女nǚ安ān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 安, 宀 sits above a seated 女 on a cushion; 宀 is the meaning part, 女 is the sound part, and the character originally meant sitting at ease.

Open 安 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
攵Written in full as攴pūhand, action
Sound part声符shēngfú
方
方fāng放fàng
Same sound today

放 uses 方 for its sound and 攵, a hand/action part, to mark an action of release.

Open 放 →

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