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下落 (xià luò) — (noun) whereabouts; (verb) to fall; to drop

Definition

下落 covers both 'whereabouts' (noun, e.g. 他的下落) and 'to fall / drop' (verb, like 落). For 'whereabouts' specifically, it emphasizes a person or thing that is missing or being sought, unlike 所在 which just states a location.

noun
whereabouts
verb
to fallto drop

Examples

  • 下落。
    Wǒ men zhèng zài diào chá tā de xià luò.
    We are investigating his whereabouts.
  • 下落。
    Qì qiú màn màn xià luò dào dì miàn.
    The balloon slowly fell to the ground.
  • 下落。
    Chǎn pǐn jià gé tū rán xià luò.
    The product price suddenly dropped.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

下xiàdown/fall
落luòfall/drop

下 and 落 both suggest falling or dropping, giving either a fall or the place where something fell.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

下 is drawn as a short horizontal line below a long curved line.

Open 下 →

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
艹Written in full as艸cǎo
Sound part声符shēngfú
洛
洛luò落luò
Same sound today

落 pairs 艹 with 洛; 洛 gives the sound, and 艹 relates to the meaning.

Open 落 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Change & Process

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