落 (luò) - fall & drop

落Tone 4

luò ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

伦妙

落 · luò

fall;

drop;

descend;

settle;

decline;

whereabouts;

also used to indicate completion of an action or reaching a state.

falldropdescend

Usage highlights

falling leavessunsetlandingsettle downdeclinedrop in price

Synonyms

  • 降— descend, fall
  • 跌— drop, fall
  • 堕— fall, sink

Antonyms

  • 升— rise, ascend
  • 起— rise, get up
  • 涨— rise (of water, prices)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Leaves fall in autumn (落叶).
  • The sun sets in the west (日落).
  • The plane landed safely (飞机降落).
  • She settled in a small village (落户).
  • The price dropped significantly (价格跌落).

Collocations

  • falling leaves(落叶)
  • sunset(日落)
  • landing(降落)
  • settle down(落户)
  • decline(衰落)
  • drop in price(落价)

Idioms

  • Flowers fall and water flows away(落花流水)
  • A stone falls to the ground — set one's mind at rest(落地生根)
  • Sunset and morning glow — evening of life(落日熔金)
  • Fall into a trap(落入圈套)
  • Settle accounts after autumn — settle scores later(秋后算账)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese poetry, 'falling' imagery often conveys transience and melancholy, as in falling leaves or flowers.
  • The character appears in many compound words related to settlement and establishment, reflecting historical patterns of migration.
  • In traditional thought, the cycle of rising and falling is seen as natural and inevitable.

FAQ