fong3 haa6放下
Jyutpingfong3 haa6
Yalefong hah
Definition
To put something down, or to let go of an obsession or worry.
- to put down; to lay down
- figurativeto let go; to release oneself from obsession or worry
colloquialdaily actionsemotion
How it's used
While 放下 is understood in Cantonese, native speakers almost exclusively use 擺低 in daily life for the literal action of placing an object down. The term 放下 is reserved for the metaphorical sense of letting go of emotions, grudges, or attachments. Using 擺低 for emotional states sounds unnatural, just as using 放下 for physical objects can sound overly formal or literary.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use 放下 for physical objects because it is the standard term in Mandarin, but this makes your speech sound stiff or like a translation. Always use 擺低 for physical items.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
