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放开 (fàng kāi) — to let go (physically); to set free; to release (people or animals); to deregulate; to relax restrictions; to give free rein

Definition

放开 covers both physical release (a grip, a hand) and figurative release (controls, restrictions). Pairs naturally with the 把 construction to move an object free of a container or restraint.

verb
to let go (physically)to set freeto release (people or animals)to deregulateto relax restrictionsto give free rein

Examples

  • 放开。
    Qǐng fàng kāi wǒ de shǒu.
    Please let go of my hand.
  • 放开。
    Tā men bǎ xiǎo niǎo cóng lóng zi lǐ fàng kāi le.
    They set the little bird free from the cage.
  • 放开。
    Zhèng fǔ jué dìng fàng kāi nóng chǎn pǐn jià gé.
    The government decided to deregulate farm product prices.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

放fàngrelease
开kāiopen

放 means release; 开 shows it becomes open or free.

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
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 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 開; 开 is its simplified writing.

  • 門門méndoor
  • 一一yīlatch and/or wooden pole that shuts a door
  • 廾廾gǒnga pair of hands

The traditional form 開 shows 廾, a pair of hands, and 一, a latch or pole, inside 門, a door: hands opening a latched door. The simplified 开 is a shorthand form, so its parts are not the original pieces.

Open 开 →
Appears in
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