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放慢 (fàng màn) — to slow down (speed, pace, rhythm, etc.)

Definition

放慢 (fàngmàn) is a transitive verb: ‘slow down (a speed, pace, or rhythm)’ — the subject deliberately reduces something. Compare with 减慢, which focuses on the rate decreasing (often without a deliberate agent).

verb
to slow down (speed, pace, rhythm, etc.)

Examples

  • 放慢，。
    Qǐng fàng màn yí xià sù dù, qián miàn de chē tíng le.
    Please slow down a bit — the car ahead has stopped.
  • ，。
    Tā fàng màn le jiǎo bù, děng zhe hòu miàn de péng you.
    He slowed his pace and waited for the friend behind.
  • 。
    Zhè duàn yīn yuè yīng gāi shāo wēi fàng màn yì diǎn.
    This section of music should be slowed down a little.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

放fàngrelease
慢mànslow

放 suggests letting go or releasing, and 慢 is slow; together they mean to make something slower.

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 →

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
忄Written in full as心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
曼
曼màn慢màn
Same sound today

慢 pairs 忄 (heart) with 曼 (màn). The heart part points to a manner or sluggish behavior, while 曼’s meaning “long, extended” adds the sense of taking a long time.

Open 慢 →
Appears in
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