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放暑假 (fàng shǔ jià) — (verb) to be on summer vacation

Definition

A chengyu-like phrase meaning 'to be on summer vacation' — students and schools use it to describe being off in July/August. Compared with 度假, it specifically refers to the long school break, not a generic holiday.

verb
to be on summer vacation

Examples

  • 放暑假。
    Wǒ men xué xiào qī yuè fàng shǔ jià.
    Our school starts summer vacation in July.
  • 放暑假？
    Nǐ fàng shǔ jià dǎ suàn qù nǎ lǐ wán?
    Where do you plan to go during summer vacation?
  • 放暑假。
    fàng shǔ jià De shí hou tā měi tiān yóu yǒng.
    He swims every day during summer vacation.

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
暑假summer vacation
暑shǔsummer heat假jiǎvacation
偏正Modifier + head

“放” release + “暑” summer heat + “假” vacation gives being on summer vacation.

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
日日rì
Sound part声符shēngfú
者
者zhě暑shǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

暑 is built from 日, which carries the meaning, and 者, which carries the sound.

Open 暑 →

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
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
叚
叚jiǎ假jiǎ
Same sound today

假 pairs 亻 (person) with 叚, which gives the sound jiǎ.

Open 假 →
Appears in
HSK 2.0 Level 4

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.