verb HSK 4
to descend · to decline · to drop · to fall
Meaning
下降 means to go down or decrease in a literal or figurative sense. It describes movement from a higher to a lower position, or a reduction in quantity, quality, temperature, prices, etc. The word combines 下 (down) and 降 (to descend/lower), reinforcing the downward meaning.
Usage
Native speakers use 下降 in both concrete contexts (airplane descending, sun setting) and abstract ones (prices falling, quality declining, temperature dropping). It's common in news, weather reports, economic discussions, and everyday conversation. More formal than 降 alone.
Examples
- 01最近几个月房价一直在下降。.Housing prices have been declining over the past few months.
- 02飞机开始下降了，我们快要到达目的地了。, .The airplane has started descending; we're about to reach our destination.
Characters
Common collocations
- 急剧下降to drop sharply
- 温度下降temperature drops
- 价格下降prices fall
- 飞机下降airplane descends
Antonyms
Origin
Both characters relate to downward movement. 降 originally depicted descending from a height, while 下 shows a position below a reference line.