HSK 3.0 · LEVEL 1
放
To let go, to release, to put, or to set free.
Free Chinese vocabulary flashcard · HSK 1
Why does 放 look like this?
The left side is 方 (fāng), providing the sound and suggesting a square or direction. The right side is the 'rap' radical 攵 (pū), which looks like a hand holding a stick, representing action or force. Together, they depict the act of pushing something away or letting it go in a certain direction!