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放手 (fàng shǒu) — to let go (physically, release one's hold); to give someone a free hand; to stop interfering and let others act independently; to go all out; to give up (a position or control)

Definition

Literal: release one's hold. Figurative: stop interfering and let someone act independently — e.g. parents letting grown children decide for themselves. Can also mean 'go all out' (放一次手: give it a try).

verb
to let go (physically, release one's hold)to give someone a free handto stop interfering and let others act independentlyto go all outto give up (a position or control)

Examples

  • ，放手。
    Nǐ zhuā jǐn shéng zi, qiān wàn bié fàng shǒu.
    Hold the rope tight, don't let go.
  • ，放手，。
    Hái zi dà le, fù mǔ yào xué huì fàng shǒu, ràng tā men zì jǐ zuò jué dìng.
    When children grow up, parents need to learn to let go and let them make their own decisions.
  • ，。
    Zhè jiàn shì nǐ fàng yí cì shǒu, ràng wǒ lái shì shì.
    Let go of this matter once and let me try.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

放fàngrelease
手shǒuhand

放 supplies release and 手 supplies the hand, giving the idea of letting go.

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 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

手 draws a five-fingered human hand: the top line is a bent middle finger, and the horizontal lines show the other four fingers.

Open 手 →
Appears in
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