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放弃 (fàng qì) — to give up, to abandon

Definition

A common, everyday verb for giving up or abandoning (a plan, right, opportunity). Stronger and more decisive than 死心 (giving up hope in your heart), and broader than 抛弃 / 丢弃, which imply physically discarding a person or thing.

verb
to give upto abandon

Examples

  • 放弃。
    Tā jué dìng fàng qì zhè ge gōng zuò jī huì.
    He decided to give up this job opportunity.
  • 放弃。
    Bú yào qīng yì fàng qì zì jǐ de jì huà.
    Don't give up your plan easily.
  • ，放弃。
    Suī rán hěn nán, dàn tā méi yǒu fàng qì.
    Although it's very hard, he hasn't given up.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

放fànglet go
弃qìabandon

“放” and “弃” are parallel actions: letting go and discarding.

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 棄; 弃 is its simplified writing.

  • 子子zǐchild
  • 𠀠𠀠𠀠basket
  • 廾廾gǒngtwo hands

The traditional form 棄, not the simplified 弃, shows 子 (child), 𠀠 (basket), and 廾 (two hands), as a picture of throwing out a child in a basket.

Open 弃 →
Appears in
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