掉 (diào) - To fall & to drop

掉Tone 4

diào ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

橙丁

掉 · diào

To fall;

to drop;

to lose;

to reduce;

to change;

to turn;

to swap;

used as a verb complement indicating completion or removal.

To fallto dropto lose

Usage highlights

Fall downLose somethingPrice dropTurn aroundSwap positionsFall behind

Synonyms

  • 落— to fall; to drop
  • 跌— to fall; to drop (especially prices)
  • 降— to descend; to lower

Antonyms

  • 升— to rise; to ascend
  • 涨— to increase; to rise (especially prices)
  • 拾— to pick up

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The leaves fall in autumn (秋天叶子掉下来).
  • He dropped his wallet (他掉了钱包).
  • Prices have fallen significantly (价格大幅掉下来).
  • Please turn the car around (请把车掉头).

Collocations

  • Fall down(掉下来)
  • Lose something(掉东西)
  • Price drop(掉价)
  • Turn around(掉头)
  • Swap positions(掉换)
  • Fall behind(掉队)

Idioms

  • To fall behind the ranks(掉队)
  • To lose face(掉价儿)
  • To turn head and tail around(掉头掉尾)
  • To be scared out of one's wits(吓得魂都掉了)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally meant 'to swing' or 'to shake' in classical Chinese, evolving to mean 'to fall' or 'to drop' in modern usage.
  • Commonly used as a verb complement in Mandarin to indicate completion of an action, particularly removal or downward movement.
  • In naming contexts, often avoided due to its association with loss or decline.

FAQ