directional complement / verb HSK 4
to go down · to continue (doing something) · downward direction
Meaning
下去 is primarily used as a directional complement after verbs to indicate downward movement or continuation of an action into the future. When meaning 'continue,' it emphasizes persistence or ongoing action, often with the sense of 'keep on doing' something.
Usage
Native speakers frequently attach 下去 to verbs to show an action continuing forward in time (说下去 'keep talking', 活下去 'keep living'). It can also indicate literal downward movement (走下去 'walk down'). The continuative sense is extremely common in everyday speech and implies the action will or should persist.
Examples
- 01你继续说下去，我在听。, .Keep talking, I'm listening.
- 02无论多困难，我们都要活下去。, .No matter how difficult it is, we must go on living.
Characters
Common collocations
- 说下去to keep talking, continue speaking
- 活下去to go on living, survive
- 走下去to walk down / to keep going
- 做下去to keep doing, continue working
Antonyms
Origin
Combines 下 (down/below) with 去 (to go away), creating a compound directional complement indicating movement downward and away from a reference point, or metaphorically forward in time.