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坐下 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
坐下zuòxiato sit downHSK 1, unknown, 10 strokes, rank #1080, Easy
zuòxia(zuo4xia5) T4
  1. 1to sit down
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March 24, 2026

坐下zuòxia(zuo4xia5)

坐下 (zuò xià) means 'to sit down' and is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts when instructing someone to take a seat. The phrase combines 坐 (zuò), meaning 'to sit,' with 下 (xià), which adds the nuance of downward movement or position.

Strokes10Frequency#1080DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, offering a seat to someone, especially an elder, is a sign of respect. The phrase 坐下 is often used in social settings to create a welcoming atmosphere.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person (坐) is sitting down (下) on a chair. Visualize them lowering themselves gently into the chair, emphasizing the motion of sitting down. The 'zuo' part sounds like 'zoo,' where animals might sit down to rest.

Meanings of 坐下

zuòxia(zuo4xia5)
1to sit down
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About 坐下

坐下Simplified
10Strokes
—Radical
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L1ElementaryTOCFLL1HSKKL1CEFRA1

Podcast: 坐下

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Podcast: 坐下

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AI Study Notes for 坐下

Quick Contrast

坐 (zuò, to sit) — use 坐下 when emphasizing the action of sitting down rather than just sitting.

Usage Notes

Be cautious not to confuse 坐下 with just 坐 (zuò), which means 'to sit' without the directional nuance. This phrase is generally informal, but can be used appropriately in polite requests, such as inviting guests to sit. Remember that the tones are important: 坐 (zuò) is fourth tone, and 下 (xià) is also fourth tone, so watch for tone errors.

HSK Study Tips

While 坐下 is not an HSK vocabulary word, it incorporates two fundamental characters: 坐 (zuò) and 下 (xià), which are essential for beginners. Focus on recognizing these characters and practicing their pronunciation, as they will appear in various contexts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often forget the directional nuance of 下, mistakenly saying 坐 (zuò) alone when they mean to instruct someone to take a seat. Always use 坐下 (zuò xià) for clarity.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 坐下

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Component Characters

坐zuòto sit
HSK 17 strokes土
View full entry
下xiàdown
HSK 13 strokes一
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How to say to sit down in Chinese

“to sit down” in Chinese is坐下zuòxia

坐下 (zuò xià) means 'to sit down' and is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts when instructing someone to take a seat. The phrase combines 坐 (zuò), meaning 'to sit,' with 下 (xià), which adds the nuance of downward movement or position.

When to use 坐下

Be cautious not to confuse 坐下 with just 坐 (zuò), which means 'to sit' without the directional nuance. This phrase is generally informal, but can be used appropriately in polite requests, such as inviting guests to sit. Remember that the tones are important: 坐 (zuò) is fourth tone, and 下 (xià) is also fourth tone, so watch for tone errors.

坐下 or something close to it

坐 (zuò, to sit) — use 坐下 when emphasizing the action of sitting down rather than just sitting.

What learners get wrong

Learners often forget the directional nuance of 下, mistakenly saying 坐 (zuò) alone when they mean to instruct someone to take a seat. Always use 坐下 (zuò xià) for clarity.

Write 坐下

坐
下

Practice writing 坐下 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 坐下

You can say '请坐下' (qǐng zuò xià) to mean 'please sit down.'

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