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线下 (xiàn xià) — offline; in-person (as opposed to online)

Definition

The physical, in-person counterpart to 线上 ('online'). Use 线下 for offline events, stores, and meetings that happen in real life rather than on the internet.

noun
offlinein-person (as opposed to online)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 。
    Wǒ men jīng cháng zài xiàn xià yì qǐ xué xí.
    We often study together offline.
  • 线下。
    Hěn duō gōng sī xiàn zài yě kāi xiàn xià diàn.
    Many companies now also open offline stores.
  • 线下。
    xiàn xià Huó dòng bǐ wǎng shàng huó dòng gèng yǒu yì si.
    Offline activities are more interesting than online ones.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

线xiànline
下xiàbelow

线 gives the line or network, and 下 gives the sense of being off or below it.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 線; 线 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
泉
泉quán線xiàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 線 uses 糹 (silk/thread) to show the meaning and 泉 to suggest the sound; the simplified 线 is a later shorthand.

Open 线 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

下 is drawn as a short horizontal line below a long curved line.

Open 下 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 4Computers & Internet5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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