放 (fàng) — to put, to place; to release, to set free; to set off (fireworks), to fly (a kite)
Definition
放 covers both 'to put/place' (concrete, everyday) and 'to release/set free', as in 放风筝 ('fly a kite') or releasing a bird. More colloquial than 放置 (formal/written 'to place'); for releasing a person or animal, 释放 is the formal counterpart.
verb
to putto placeto releaseto set freeto set off (fireworks)to fly (a kite)
Examples
- 。Wǒ bǎ shū fàng zài zhuō zi shàng.I put the book on the table.
- 放。Tā bǎ xiǎo niǎo fàng le.He set the little bird free.
- 筝。Wǒ men qù gōng yuán fàng fēng zheng ba.Let's go to the park to fly a kite.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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
放 uses 方 for its sound and 攵, a hand/action part, to mark an action of release.
Appears in
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