Verb + 下

HSK 3

Structure (结构 jiégòu)

Verb下

Resultative complement 下 indicates movement downward or the capacity to contain/accommodate.

Used as a resultative complement, 下 has three main meanings:

Downward movement: Indicates movement from a higher place to a lower one. Examples: 坐下 (sit down), 放下 (put down).
Capacity, space: Expresses that a space has enough room to hold people or objects. Commonly used in the potential complement pattern V + 得/不 + 下.
Separation: Indicates the action of detaching a part from a whole, e.g. 脱下 (take off).

请坐下喝杯茶。
繁: 請坐下喝杯茶。Qǐng zuò xià hē bēi chá.
Please sit down and have a cup of tea.
他写下自己的名字。
繁: 他寫下自己的名字。Tā xiě xià zìjǐ de míngzi.
He wrote down his name.
这辆车坐得下五个人。
繁: 這輛車坐得下五個人。Zhè liàng chē zuò de xià wǔ ge rén.
This car can seat five people.
他把书包从桌上拿下。
繁: 他把書包從桌上拿下。Tā bǎ shūbāo cóng zhuō shàng ná xià.
He took his schoolbag down from the table.
外面太热了，快脱下外套。
繁: 外面太熱了，快脫下外套。Wàimiàn tài rè le, kuài tuō xià wàitào.
It's too hot outside, take off your jacket quickly.

Wrong:这个房间住不下我们。
Correct:这个房间我们住不下。
When the object is a pronoun (我们), it typically comes before the verb in this structure, not after.
Wrong:我放下我的笔。
Correct:我把笔放下。
When an action has a specific object (pen), using the 把 construction sounds more natural than the standard SVO structure.