下跌
下跌 in 30 Seconds
- 下跌 (xiàdiē) is a formal verb meaning 'to fall' or 'to drop' in price or value.
- It is used for abstract numbers and statistics, never for physical objects like a falling book.
- It is the standard term for describing stock market or real estate price decreases.
- Commonly paired with adverbs like '大幅' (significantly) or '持续' (continuously).
The Chinese term 下跌 (xiàdiē) is a specialized verb that describes the downward movement of numerical values, specifically in the realms of finance, economics, and statistics. While the English word 'fall' can apply to a physical object like an apple falling from a tree, 下跌 is almost exclusively reserved for abstract concepts like prices, stock market indices, temperatures, or exchange rates. It is composed of two characters: 下 (xià), meaning 'down' or 'below,' and 跌 (diē), which originally meant 'to stumble' or 'to trip.' When combined, they evoke the image of a value losing its footing and tumbling downward.
- Economic Context
- In the world of finance, this word is the bread and butter of news anchors and analysts. If the price of gold drops, you say '金价下跌' (jīnjià xiàdiē). If the stock market crashes, you might hear '股市大幅下跌' (gǔshì dàfú xiàdiē), indicating a significant or large-scale drop. It carries a formal tone, making it suitable for business reports and formal news broadcasts.
由于市场供应充足,最近猪肉价格开始下跌了。 (Due to sufficient market supply, pork prices have recently started to fall.)
- Statistical Nuance
- Beyond money, 下跌 applies to percentages and rates. For instance, a decline in the birth rate or a drop in the unemployment rate can both be described using this term. However, it is important to note that it implies a measurable decrease rather than a qualitative decline in standard or quality.
In a broader cultural sense, 下跌 is often viewed with concern in an investment-heavy society like modern China. When the 'A-shares' (A股) experience a 下跌, it becomes a major topic of conversation in offices and social media. The word often appears alongside adverbs of degree such as 持续 (chíxù - continuously), 猛烈 (měngliè - violently), or 小幅 (xiǎofú - slightly). Understanding this word is essential for anyone wishing to read a Chinese newspaper or follow economic trends in the world's second-largest economy. Furthermore, the character 跌 contains the 'foot' radical (⻊), suggesting a stumble, which adds a layer of 'instability' to the drop, unlike the more neutral 下降 (xiàjiàng) which simply means to descend.
专家预测,明年的房价可能会进一步下跌。 (Experts predict that house prices might fall further next year.)
- Comparison with '下降'
- While both mean 'to go down,' 下跌 is more common for prices and market values, whereas 下降 is more versatile, used for temperatures, levels, standards, or even physical height. You would say '气温下降' (temperature drops) more often than '气温下跌,' although the latter is not strictly wrong in a technical meteorological report.
股市的下跌让很多投资者感到不安。 (The fall of the stock market made many investors feel uneasy.)
Using 下跌 (xiàdiē) correctly involves understanding its grammatical role as an intransitive verb. This means it typically does not take a direct object. Instead, the subject is the entity whose value is decreasing. The most common sentence pattern is [Subject] + [Adverb] + 下跌 + [Complement/Quantity]. For example, '房价大幅下跌了' (House prices fell significantly). Here, '房价' is the subject, '大幅' is the adverb modifying the action, and '了' indicates the change of state.
- Pattern 1: Indicating the Amount
- To specify how much something has fallen, we use '下跌了' followed by the amount. Example: '股价下跌了百分之十' (The stock price fell by ten percent). The particle '了' is crucial here as it marks the completion of the decline or the current state of the drop.
这种电子产品的价格已经下跌到了历史最低点。 (The price of this electronic product has already fallen to its historical low.)
- Pattern 2: Indicating the Target Value
- To indicate the level to which something has fallen, use the preposition '到' (dào). Example: '气温下跌到零度以下' (The temperature fell to below zero). This structure is vital for showing the result of the decline.
Another common usage is as a noun in formal reports, where it might be the subject of a sentence or a modifier. For instance, '下跌趋势' (xiàdiē qūshì) means a 'downward trend.' In this case, 下跌 describes the nature of the trend. You might also see '下跌空间' (xiàdiē kōngjiān), which refers to the 'room for further decline.' This is a favorite phrase of market bears who believe a price hasn't hit bottom yet.
由于全球经济衰退,原油需求减少,导致油价持续下跌。 (Due to the global economic recession, crude oil demand has decreased, leading to a continuous fall in oil prices.)
- Adverbial Modifiers
- Common adverbs used with 下跌 include: 大幅 (dàfú - by a large margin), 骤然 (zhòurán - suddenly), 缓慢 (huǎnmàn - slowly), and 连日 (liánrì - for consecutive days). These add necessary detail to the speed and intensity of the drop.
连日来的雨水导致气温明显下跌。 (The continuous rain over the past few days has caused the temperature to drop significantly.)
If you turn on a Chinese news channel like CCTV-2 (the financial channel), you will hear 下跌 (xiàdiē) every few minutes. It is the linguistic pulse of the market. Beyond the professional sphere, however, the word permeates daily life in specific contexts. For example, when walking through a wet market (菜市场), you might hear elderly shoppers discussing the '下跌' of vegetable prices compared to the previous week. It's a word that bridges the gap between high finance and household budgeting.
- News and Media
- Headlines often use 下跌 for brevity and impact. '美股周一全线下跌' (US stocks fell across the board on Monday) is a classic headline structure. In these contexts, the word is used to convey objectivity and professional reporting.
听说了吗?最近那家公司的股票一直在下跌,大家都想卖掉。 (Have you heard? That company's stock has been falling lately, and everyone wants to sell.)
- Real Estate Discussions
- In China, real estate is a primary investment. Conversations about whether house prices will 下跌 are ubiquitous at dinner tables and social gatherings. People will say '房价要跌了' (House prices are going to fall), using the shorter form '跌' in casual speech, but '下跌' in more serious discussion.
You will also encounter 下跌 in academic settings. Economics students analyze '下跌的因素' (factors of the decline) or the '下跌的影响' (impact of the decline). It is a neutral term; it doesn't imply that the fall is good or bad, although, for a seller, a 下跌 is usually bad news. In weather reports, while '下降' is common for temperature, 下跌 might be used to emphasize a sharp, sudden drop during a cold front (冷空气). This versatility across different levels of formality—from the stock floor to the dinner table—makes it a high-frequency word for intermediate learners.
根据最新数据,该地区的失业率已经连续三个月下跌。 (According to the latest data, the unemployment rate in this region has fallen for three consecutive months.)
- Shopping and E-commerce
- On platforms like Taobao or JD.com, price tracking tools often use graphs labeled with 下跌 to show users when a product has become cheaper. Notifications might pop up saying '您关注的商品价格已下跌' (The price of the item you follow has fallen).
由于技术进步,锂电池的生产成本大幅下跌。 (Due to technological progress, the production cost of lithium batteries has fallen significantly.)
One of the most frequent errors English speakers make with 下跌 (xiàdiē) is over-extending its use to physical objects. In English, you can say 'The book fell (下跌) off the table,' but in Chinese, this is completely incorrect. 下跌 is for values, not physical mass. For a book falling, you must use '掉下来' (diào xiàlái). Using 下跌 for a physical object sounds like the book is experiencing a financial devaluation as it moves through the air!
- Mistake 1: Confusing with '下降' (xiàjiàng)
- While often interchangeable, '下降' is more general. You can say '飞机正在下降' (The plane is descending), but you cannot say '飞机正在下跌.' 下跌 implies a loss of value or a statistical drop, not a physical descent of a vehicle.
Incorrect: 他从梯子上下跌了。
Correct: 他从梯子上摔下来了。 (He fell off the ladder.)
- Mistake 2: Incorrect Transitivity
- Learners sometimes try to use 下跌 as a transitive verb, saying things like '政府下跌了税收' (The government fell the taxes). In Chinese, 下跌 is intransitive. To say 'reduce' or 'lower,' you should use '降低' (jiàngdī) or '减少' (jiǎnshǎo). The correct phrasing would be '税收下跌了' (Taxes fell).
Another nuance is the difference between 下跌 and 跌倒 (diēdǎo). Both share the character '跌,' but 跌倒 specifically means to trip and fall over physically (like a person on the sidewalk). Mixing these up can lead to very confusing sentences. Furthermore, watch out for the '了' placement. It should follow the verb to indicate a completed change, but if you are describing a trend, it might not be needed. For example, '价格正在下跌' (Prices are falling) vs. '价格下跌了' (Prices have fallen).
Incorrect: 那个运动员在比赛中下跌了。
Correct: 那个运动员在比赛中跌倒了。 (That athlete tripped/fell during the race.)
- Mistake 3: Redundancy
- Avoid saying '向下下跌' (falling downwards). Since '下' already means down, adding '向下' is redundant and sounds unnatural to native speakers. Simply '下跌' is sufficient.
Incorrect: 汇率大幅度向下下跌。
Correct: 汇率大幅下跌。 (The exchange rate fell significantly.)
In Chinese, there are several ways to express the concept of 'falling' or 'decreasing,' and choosing the right one depends on what is falling and how fast it is doing so. 下跌 (xiàdiē) is our primary term for economic values, but let's look at its cousins to ensure you have the full toolkit for precise communication.
- 1. 下降 (xiàjiàng)
- Usage: General decrease or physical descent.
Comparison: While 下跌 is specific to numbers/prices, 下降 can be used for quality, standards, temperatures, and physical altitude. It is more formal and clinical than 下跌. You would say '服务质量下降' (quality of service decreased), but not '服务质量下跌.'
- 2. 减少 (jiǎnshǎo)
- Usage: To reduce in quantity or number.
Comparison: 减少 is a transitive verb, meaning you can '减少' something (e.g., 减少开支 - reduce expenses). 下跌 is the result (e.g., 开支下跌了 - expenses fell). Use 减少 when you want to focus on the action of cutting down.
为了省钱,他减少了外出吃饭的次数,结果他的开支显著下跌了。 (To save money, he reduced the number of times he ate out, and as a result, his expenses fell significantly.)
- 3. 暴跌 (bàodiē)
- Usage: To crash or plummet.
Comparison: This is the 'extreme' version of 下跌. The character '暴' (bào) means violent or sudden. Use this for market crashes or sudden, disastrous drops in value. Example: '股市暴跌' (Stock market crash).
- 4. 回落 (huíluò)
- Usage: To fall back to a previous level.
Comparison: This is used when a price was high but is now returning to a more normal or previous level. It's often seen as a positive or stabilizing '下跌'.
Finally, consider 降低 (jiàngdī). This is often used when an external force or person deliberately lowers something, like '降低成本' (lowering costs) or '降低要求' (lowering requirements). While 下跌 describes the phenomenon of falling, 降低 often implies the intent or action behind a reduction. Choosing between these synonyms will elevate your Chinese from 'understandable' to 'precise and professional.'
虽然公司降低了售价,但销售额依然在下跌。 (Although the company lowered the selling price, sales revenue is still falling.)
How Formal Is It?
Fun Fact
The character '跌' (diē) actually shares the same sound as '爹' (diē - dad) in many Mandarin dialects, leading to some puns in Chinese internet culture about 'daddy' markets.
Pronunciation Guide
- Pronouncing 'diē' in the 2nd tone like 'dié' (to fold).
- Muffling the 'x' sound in 'xià' so it sounds like 'sh'.
- Failing to make the 4th tone of 'xià' sharp enough.
- Confusing the spelling with 'xiàdié' (to fold down).
- Using the wrong tone for 'diē', making it sound like 'diè' (father in some dialects).
Difficulty Rating
Characters are moderately complex but common in news.
The character '跌' has many strokes and a specific radical.
Tones are standard, but must distinguish from '下降'.
High frequency in financial news.
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Advanced
Grammar to Know
The use of '了' for change of state.
价格下跌了。
Adverbs of degree before verbs.
大幅下跌。
Duration/Quantity complements.
下跌了三天 / 下跌了百分之十。
Resultative complement '到'.
下跌到最低点。
Cause and effect structures.
因为...所以价格下跌。
Examples by Level
苹果的价格下跌了。
The price of apples has fallen.
Subject (苹果的价格) + Verb (下跌) + Particle (了).
今天气温下跌了。
The temperature fell today.
Time (今天) + Subject (气温) + Verb (下跌) + 了.
他的分数下跌了。
His score fell.
Possessive (他的) + Subject (分数) + Verb (下跌) + 了.
衣服的价格下跌了。
The price of the clothes has fallen.
Subject (衣服的价格) + Verb (下跌) + 了.
水费下跌了吗?
Did the water bill fall?
Subject (水费) + Verb (下跌) + Particle (了) + Question marker (吗)?
这里房价下跌了。
House prices fell here.
Location (这里) + Subject (房价) + Verb (下跌) + 了.
书的价格没有下跌。
The price of the book did not fall.
Subject (书的价格) + Negation (没有) + Verb (下跌).
那个价格下跌了一点。
That price fell a little.
Subject (那个价格) + Verb (下跌) + 了 + Quantity (一点).
由于打折,鞋子的价格下跌了很多。
Due to the discount, the price of the shoes fell a lot.
Cause (由于...) + Subject + Verb + Complement (很多).
最近几周,猪肉价格一直在下跌。
In recent weeks, pork prices have been falling continuously.
Time + Subject + Adverb (一直在) + Verb.
明天气温会下跌到十度。
Tomorrow the temperature will fall to ten degrees.
Time + Subject + Auxiliary (会) + Verb + Result (到十度).
我觉得这个电脑的价格会下跌。
I think the price of this computer will fall.
Opinion (我觉得) + Subject + Verb.
超市里的水果价格下跌了。
The price of fruit in the supermarket has fallen.
Location + Subject + Verb + 了.
他的体重下跌了三公斤。
His weight fell by three kilograms.
Subject (体重) + Verb + Quantity (三公斤).
门票价格下跌了百分之二十。
The ticket price fell by twenty percent.
Subject + Verb + Percentage (百分之二十).
如果需求减少,价格就会下跌。
If demand decreases, the price will fall.
Conditional (如果...) + Subject + Adverb (就) + Verb.
由于经济不景气,股市大幅下跌。
Due to the economic downturn, the stock market fell significantly.
Formal cause + Subject + Adverb (大幅) + Verb.
该公司今年的利润下跌了近三成。
The company's profit this year fell by nearly thirty percent.
Subject + Time + Verb + Amount (近三成).
由于竞争激烈,手机的成本正在下跌。
Due to fierce competition, the cost of mobile phones is falling.
Cause + Subject + Aspect (正在) + Verb.
这个国家的出生率连续五年下跌。
The birth rate of this country has fallen for five consecutive years.
Subject + Adverb (连续五年) + Verb.
专家预测房价在未来几个月会继续下跌。
Experts predict house prices will continue to fall in the coming months.
Expert + Verb (预测) + Clause (房价会继续下跌).
受到丑闻影响,该明星的人气急剧下跌。
Affected by the scandal, the celebrity's popularity plummeted.
Passive cause (受到...影响) + Subject + Adverb (急剧) + Verb.
油价的下跌对交通运输业是有利的。
The fall in oil prices is beneficial to the transportation industry.
Subject (油价的下跌) + Predicate (是有利的).
我们需要分析导致销量下跌的原因。
We need to analyze the reasons that led to the fall in sales.
Verb (分析) + Object (导致销量下跌的原因).
全球贸易摩擦导致了出口额的持续下跌。
Global trade friction has led to a continuous fall in export volume.
Subject + Verb (导致) + Object (出口额的持续下跌).
虽然市场有所回升,但投资者仍担心再次下跌。
Although the market has recovered somewhat, investors still worry about another fall.
Concession (虽然...但) + Clause.
该地区的失业率在政策实施后开始下跌。
The unemployment rate in the region began to fall after the policy was implemented.
Subject + Time (在...后) + Verb (开始) + Verb (下跌).
汇率下跌对进口商来说是一个巨大的挑战。
The fall in the exchange rate is a huge challenge for importers.
Subject (汇率下跌) + Prepositional phrase (对...来说) + Predicate.
由于缺乏创新,该品牌在市场上的占有率大幅下跌。
Due to a lack of innovation, the brand's market share fell significantly.
Cause + Subject + Location (在市场上) + Adverb + Verb.
政府采取措施以防止物价过度下跌。
The government took measures to prevent prices from falling excessively.
Subject + Verb + Object + Purpose (以防止...).
通货膨胀率的下跌并不总是意味着经济健康。
A fall in the inflation rate does not always mean a healthy economy.
Subject + Negation (并不总是) + Verb (意味着) + Object.
该项技术的普及使生产成本呈下跌趋势。
The popularization of this technology has caused production costs to show a downward trend.
Subject + Causative (使) + Object + Result (呈下跌趋势).
由于地缘政治紧张,国际金价出现了罕见的下跌。
Due to geopolitical tensions, international gold prices saw a rare fall.
Formal cause + Subject + Verb (出现) + Object (罕见的下跌).
尽管有政府补贴,该行业的产值依然呈现下跌态势。
Despite government subsidies, the industry's output value still shows a downward trend.
Concession (尽管...) + Subject + Adverb (依然) + Verb (呈现...态势).
这种资产的价格下跌空间已经非常有限了。
The room for price decline of this asset is already very limited.
Subject (价格下跌空间) + Adverb (非常) + Adjective (有限).
市场情绪的波动是导致股价下跌的主导因素。
Fluctuations in market sentiment are the dominant factor leading to the fall in stock prices.
Subject + Copula (是) + Predicate (导致...的主导因素).
如果不及时调整策略,企业的竞争力将会持续下跌。
If strategies are not adjusted in time, the enterprise's competitiveness will continue to fall.
Conditional + Subject + Adverb (持续) + Verb.
分析师指出,原材料供应过剩是下跌的诱因。
Analysts pointed out that an oversupply of raw materials is the trigger for the fall.
Subject + Verb (指出) + Clause (A是B的诱因).
该货币的汇率下跌引发了投资者的恐慌性抛售。
The fall in the currency's exchange rate triggered panic selling by investors.
Subject + Verb (引发) + Object (恐慌性抛售).
虽然表面上是下跌,但实质上是市场的自我修正。
Although it appears to be a fall on the surface, it is essentially a market self-correction.
Concession (虽然...但) + Substantial description.
在该项宏观调控政策出台后,过热的房地产市场终于迎来了理性的下跌。
After the introduction of the macro-control policy, the overheated real estate market finally saw a rational decline.
Complex time phrase + Subject + Adverb (终于) + Verb (迎来) + Object.
技术指标显示,该股正处于一个长期的阴跌过程中。
Technical indicators show that the stock is currently in a long-term slow decline.
Subject + Verb (显示) + Clause (正处于...过程中).
我们必须警惕由于通货紧缩导致的物价螺旋式下跌。
We must be wary of a spiral fall in prices caused by deflation.
Modal (必须) + Verb (警惕) + Object (螺旋式下跌).
此次下跌并非偶然,而是长期积累的结构性矛盾的集中爆发。
This fall is not accidental, but a concentrated eruption of long-accumulated structural contradictions.
Not A (并非) but B (而是).
若要遏制这种下跌趋势,单纯的货币政策恐怕力有不逮。
To curb this downward trend, simple monetary policy may unfortunately be insufficient.
Purpose (若要) + Subject + Adverb (恐怕) + Idiom (力有不逮).
尽管各项指标均显示经济在复苏,但消费信心指数却出现了反直觉的下跌。
Despite all indicators showing an economic recovery, the consumer confidence index saw a counter-intuitive fall.
Concession + Subject + Adverb (却) + Adjective (反直觉的) + Verb (下跌).
在这一轮下跌中,许多中小企业因资金链断裂而倒闭。
In this round of decline, many small and medium-sized enterprises went bankrupt due to broken capital chains.
Prepositional phrase (在...中) + Subject + Cause (因...而) + Verb.
历史经验告诉我们,任何一次非理性的上涨之后都必然伴随着剧烈的下跌。
Historical experience tells us that any irrational rise is inevitably followed by a violent fall.
Subject + Verb (告诉) + Indirect Object + Direct Object (Clause).
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
— To fall all the way down without stopping.
他的名声一路下跌。
— To turn from rising to falling.
市场在下午由涨转跌。
— To fall for several consecutive days.
该股票已连日下跌。
— To fall immediately in response to news.
消息传出后,股价应声下跌。
— To fall until hitting the bottom (often used for analysis).
价格尚未触底下跌。
— A slow, continuous, and painful decline.
这段时间股市阴跌不止。
— To drop like a diver (very fast).
开盘后价格跳水下跌。
— To fall later to catch up with a general market decline.
这只股票今天开始补跌。
— A bearish market condition.
在下跌行情中要小心。
— A fall caused by market panic.
这属于恐慌性下跌。
Often Confused With
Means 'whereabouts' or 'to fall down physically' (rarely). Don't use for prices.
Means 'to sink' (like a boat). Not for statistics.
Means 'to adjust downwards' (an intentional action by an authority).
Idioms & Expressions
— To drop drastically in status, reputation, or value.
他的声誉一落千丈。
Literary/Formal— Falling continuously without sign of stopping.
大盘跌跌不休,投资者很无奈。
Financial/Media— To go from bad to worse; steadily declining.
他的身体状况每况愈下。
Formal— Degenerating day by day (like a river flowing down).
这个行业已经江河日下了。
Literary— The general trend is gone (often implies a fall from power).
看来他大势已去,地位在下跌。
Formal— To fail an exam (a specific kind of 'fall' in rank).
他这次考试名落孙山。
Literary— A total collapse (like a mountain falling).
公司的股价兵败如山倒。
Literary— Like the sun setting (nearing the end/decline).
传统媒体正日薄西山。
Literary— Reputation falling to the ground (totally ruined).
丑闻让他名誉扫地。
Formal— To lose one's entire fortune (the ultimate result of an '下跌').
这次股市下跌让他倾家荡产。
NeutralEasily Confused
Both mean fall/decrease.
下降 is more general (quality, altitude, level); 下跌 is specific to prices/values.
飞机下降 (Plane descends) vs 房价下跌 (House prices fall).
Both use the character 跌.
跌倒 is physical tripping; 下跌 is numerical.
他在路上跌倒了 (He tripped) vs 股市下跌 (Stock market falls).
Both involve less of something.
减少 is transitive (to reduce); 下跌 is intransitive (the thing falls).
减少支出 (Reduce spending) vs 支出下跌 (Spending fell).
Both mean to go lower.
降低 often implies an active agent lowering something; 下跌 is the phenomenon.
降低门槛 (Lower the threshold) vs 气温下跌 (Temperature falls).
Both imply a negative economic direction.
衰退 is a systemic recession; 下跌 is just the drop in value.
经济衰退 (Economic recession) vs 利润下跌 (Profit fall).
Sentence Patterns
S + 下跌了。
价格下跌了。
S + 下跌了 + Quantity。
气温下跌了五度。
由于 + Reason, S + 大幅下跌。
由于下雨,游客人数大幅下跌。
S + 呈现 + 下跌趋势。
销量呈现下跌趋势。
S + 下跌到 + Result。
股价下跌到十元以下。
S + 的下跌 + 引发了 + Result。
汇率的下跌引发了经济危机。
伴随着...的是...的下跌。
伴随着通胀缓解的是物价的下跌。
S + 处于 + 阴跌之中。
市场正处于长期的阴跌之中。
Word Family
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Related
How to Use It
Extremely high in news and business.
-
他从楼上下跌了。
→
他从楼上摔下来了。
下跌 is for values, not people falling from buildings.
-
政府下跌了房价。
→
政府降低了房价。
下跌 is intransitive. You can't '下跌' something; you '降低' it.
-
气温向下下跌。
→
气温下跌。
Redundancy: '下' already means down.
-
质量下跌了。
→
质量下降了。
Quality is usually paired with '下降', not '下跌'.
-
股票下落了。
→
股票下跌了。
下落 means whereabouts or falling physically, not financial decline.
Tips
Verb-Subject Order
Always remember that the thing falling is the subject. Say 'Prices fall', not 'Fall prices'.
Color Codes
In Chinese stock apps, green is '下跌'. Don't get confused if you see a sea of green!
Pairing with Percentages
Always use '了' when stating a specific percentage drop: '下跌了5%'.
Formal Reports
Use '呈现下跌趋势' to describe a general trend in academic or business writing.
Casual Shortening
In daily life, just say '跌了' to sound more natural.
News Keywords
When you hear '大幅' (dàfú), prepare for news about a big '下跌'.
Abstract vs Physical
If you can't measure it with a number, you probably shouldn't use '下跌'.
The Foot Radical
The ⻊ radical in 跌 reminds you of a foot stumbling down.
下跌 vs 下降
Use '下跌' for money and '下降' for everything else numerical.
Stock Market Slang
'割肉' (cutting meat) is what people do when they sell after an '下跌'.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of '下' as an arrow pointing down, and '跌' as a person with a 'foot' (⻊) who 'lost' (失) their balance. Together: Down they go!
Visual Association
Imagine a stock market graph with a green line (down in China) stumbling down a flight of stairs.
Word Web
Challenge
Try to find three things in the news today that have '下跌' and write a sentence for each using a different adverb (大幅, 小幅, 持续).
Word Origin
The word is a compound of '下' (down) and '跌' (to stumble). '下' dates back to oracle bone script as a horizontal line with a shorter line below it. '跌' appeared later, combining the foot radical (足) with '失' (to lose), implying a loss of balance.
Original meaning: Originally, '跌' meant to trip or stumble while walking. '下跌' as a compound for economic decline is a modern linguistic development.
Sino-TibetanCultural Context
Be sensitive when discussing '下跌' with investors who may have lost money; it is a stressful topic.
In English-speaking countries, red is the color of debt and loss, so 'being in the red' corresponds to '下跌'.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Stock Market
- 股价下跌
- 大盘下跌
- 跌停
- 止跌
Weather
- 气温下跌
- 温度下跌
- 骤降
- 变冷
Real Estate
- 房价下跌
- 租金下跌
- 房市低迷
- 泡沫破裂
Shopping
- 物价下跌
- 价格下跌
- 打折
- 降价
Statistics
- 出生率下跌
- 失业率下跌
- 百分点
- 趋势
Conversation Starters
"你觉得明年的房价会下跌吗?"
"最近超市里的水果价格好像下跌了。"
"如果股市继续下跌,你会卖掉你的股票吗?"
"你认为什么原因导致了该品牌人气的下跌?"
"气温突然下跌,你穿够衣服了吗?"
Journal Prompts
描述一次你观察到的价格下跌现象,以及它对你生活的影响。
如果你是一名经济学家,你会如何解释最近股市的下跌?
讨论一下出生率下跌对社会长远发展的影响。
写一段话,描述气温下跌时城市的景色变化。
反思一下,当一个人的名声下跌时,他应该如何应对?
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsNo, for a physical object falling, use '掉' or '落下'. 下跌 is for abstract values like prices.
Yes, it is the standard formal term used in news and business reports.
The most common opposite is 上涨 (shàngzhǎng), meaning to rise in price.
No, you should say '价格下跌'. Chinese verbs like this usually come after the subject.
In China, red is a lucky color associated with gains, so green was chosen for losses (下跌).
It means 'fall'. For a 'crash', use '暴跌' (bàodiē).
Yes, it is common to say '气温下跌'.
It means 'room for further decline', implying the price might go even lower.
Yes, '跌' is the short form often used in casual conversation or headlines.
Only metaphorically, like 'his popularity fell' (人气下跌). For physical falling, use '跌倒'.
Test Yourself 200 questions
Write a sentence describing a fall in the price of milk.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Write a sentence saying that the temperature fell by 10 degrees today.
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Explain why stock prices might fall (use '由于' and '下跌').
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Describe a downward trend in house prices in your city.
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Use '下跌空间' in a sentence about an investment.
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Write a news headline about a global market crash.
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Describe the impact of falling oil prices on transportation.
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Write a short paragraph about the birth rate decline.
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Use '应声下跌' to describe a reaction to bad news.
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Compare '下跌' and '下降' in two short sentences.
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Describe a person's popularity falling.
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Write a sentence about the exchange rate falling to a historical low.
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Describe a market 'self-correction'.
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Use '持续下跌' in a sentence about sales.
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Write a sentence about prices falling back after a holiday.
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Discuss the risks of 'deflation' (通货紧缩).
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Write a sentence using '小幅下跌'.
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Describe a reaction to a stock market drop.
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Write about a technology making costs fall.
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Use '止跌回升' in a sentence.
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How do you say 'Prices are falling' in Chinese?
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Pronounce '下跌' correctly, focusing on the tones.
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Talk about a recent price change you noticed using '下跌'.
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How would you tell a friend the stock market is crashing?
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Explain the difference between '下跌' and '跌倒' in your own words.
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Describe a weather change using '气温' and '下跌'.
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Use '下跌趋势' in a sentence about a business.
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How would you say 'The price fell to 50 dollars'?
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Talk about why a celebrity might lose popularity using '人气' and '下跌'.
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Describe a 'green' stock market in China.
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Ask someone if they think house prices will fall next year.
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Use '小幅下跌' to describe a minor change in gold prices.
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Explain '下跌空间' to a fellow investor.
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How do you say 'The birth rate is falling'?
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Use '应声下跌' in a news-style sentence.
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Discuss the impact of falling exchange rates.
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How do you say 'Prices have stopped falling'?
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Describe a 'slow decline' using '阴跌'.
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Tell someone to be careful of falling prices (deflation).
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Say 'The cost of living has fallen' in Chinese.
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Listen and identify the amount: '房价下跌了百分之五。'
Listen: '股市大幅下跌。' Did the market fall a little or a lot?
Listen: '气温下跌到了零下十度。' What is the temperature now?
Listen: '由于需求增加,价格会上涨。' Does this sentence contain '下跌'?
Listen: '销量持续下跌。' Is the fall finished or continuing?
Listen and identify the subject: '该明星的人气急剧下跌。'
Listen: '专家认为已经没有下跌空间了。' Does the expert think it will fall more?
Listen: '由于丑闻,他的声望一落千丈。' What happened to his reputation?
Listen and identify the tone of '下跌'.
Listen: '油价下跌对交通运输业是有利的。' Is the fall good for transport?
Listen: '股市全线下跌。' Did only some stocks fall?
Listen: '我们要分析原因。' What does the speaker want to analyze?
Listen: '价格出现了小幅回落。' Is this a big crash?
Listen: '出生率连续五年下跌。' How many years has it fallen?
Listen: '请注意气温下跌。' What is the warning about?
/ 200 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
下跌 is your go-to word for anything involving numbers going down in a formal or financial context. For example, if you see '房价下跌' (House prices fall), you know it's about the market value, not the houses physically collapsing.
- 下跌 (xiàdiē) is a formal verb meaning 'to fall' or 'to drop' in price or value.
- It is used for abstract numbers and statistics, never for physical objects like a falling book.
- It is the standard term for describing stock market or real estate price decreases.
- Commonly paired with adverbs like '大幅' (significantly) or '持续' (continuously).
Verb-Subject Order
Always remember that the thing falling is the subject. Say 'Prices fall', not 'Fall prices'.
Color Codes
In Chinese stock apps, green is '下跌'. Don't get confused if you see a sea of green!
Pairing with Percentages
Always use '了' when stating a specific percentage drop: '下跌了5%'.
Formal Reports
Use '呈现下跌趋势' to describe a general trend in academic or business writing.
Example
由于市场需求减少,该产品的价格开始下跌。
Related Content
Related Grammar Rules
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津贴
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消费
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萧条
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驱动力
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