xiàjiàng: 下降 - To Descend, Decrease, Drop, Fall

• Keywords: 下降, xiajiang, descend, decrease, drop, fall, decline, Chinese verb, what does xiajiang mean, xiajiang vs 下来, Chinese business terms, HSK 4 vocabulary.
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese verb 下降 (xiàjiàng), which means “to descend,” “decrease,” or “fall.” This page breaks down its meaning, from a plane descending for landing to prices dropping in the market. Understand its formal usage in business, weather, and data analysis, and see how it differs from more casual words for “going down.” Perfect for HSK 4 students and anyone wanting to discuss trends and changes in Chinese.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): xià jiàng
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: 4
• Concise Definition: To descend, go down, fall, drop, or decrease.
• In a Nutshell: 下降 (xiàjiàng) is the go-to word for describing a downward movement or a decrease in value, level, or amount. Think of it as the formal counterpart to the English “to decline” or “to drop.” You'll see it used for everything from a plane's altitude and a dropping temperature to falling stock prices and declining sales figures. It implies a process or a trend rather than a simple, physical action.

• 下 (xià): This character is a simple ideograph for “down,” “below,” or “under.” You can visualize it as a horizontal line representing the ground, with a shorter line below it indicating a lower position.
• 降 (jiàng): This character means “to descend” or “to fall.” Its left side (⻖) is a radical that often relates to hills or mounds, and the right side depicts steps. Together, they form the image of walking down steps from a high place.

Combining 下 (down) and 降 (descend) creates a compound verb that strongly and formally emphasizes the act of moving downwards or decreasing. It's a clear and unambiguous term used frequently in written and formal contexts.

While 下降 (xiàjiàng) isn't a deeply philosophical term like 关系 (guānxi), its common usage reveals a lot about modern China. Its frequent appearance in news headlines, economic reports, and official announcements highlights a society intensely focused on data, metrics, and progress. The constant tracking of economic growth, pollution indices (AQI), and market performance makes 下降 a critical piece of vocabulary for understanding current events. In Western culture, we might casually say “the temperature's going down.” While you can say this in Chinese, using 下降 (e.g., `气温下降了 qìwēn xiàjiàng le`) lends a more objective, almost scientific tone. This preference for precise, formal language in data-centric contexts is a key feature of modern professional and media communication in China. The opposite, 上升 (shàngshēng), is often used to trumpet positive achievements, making the pair a powerful duo for describing the country's fortunes.

下降 is a versatile verb used across various formal and semi-formal domains. Its connotation is usually neutral or slightly negative, as a decrease in things like profit, quality, or health is generally not desired.

• Business and Economics: This is one of the most common contexts. It's used to talk about any metric that is decreasing.
  • e.g., prices (价格 jiàgé), sales (销量 xiāoliàng), profits (利润 lìrùn), stock prices (股价 gǔjià).
• Weather and Environment: Standard for official weather reports or environmental discussions.
  • e.g., temperature (温度 wēndù), air pressure (气压 qìyā), air quality (空气质量 kōngqì zhìliàng).
• Transportation: The standard term for an aircraft beginning its descent for landing.
  • e.g., The plane is descending. (飞机正在下降 Fēijī zhèngzài xiàjiàng.)
• Abstract Concepts: It can be used for more abstract declines.
  • e.g., quality (质量 zhìliàng), ability (能力 nénglì), social status (社会地位 shèhuì dìwèi).

• Example 1:
  • 飞机马上就要下降了，请您系好安全带。
  • Pinyin: Fēijī mǎshàng jiù yào xiàjiàng le, qǐng nín jì hǎo ānquándài.
  • English: The plane is about to begin its descent, please fasten your seatbelt.
  • Analysis: This is a classic, standard announcement you will hear on any flight in China. 下降 here specifically means to lose altitude for landing.
• Example 2:
  • 由于竞争激烈，我们公司的利润率有所下降。
  • Pinyin: Yóuyú jìngzhēng jīliè, wǒmen gōngsī de lìrùnlǜ yǒu suǒ xiàjiàng.
  • English: Due to fierce competition, our company's profit margin has decreased somewhat.
  • Analysis: A very common phrase in a business context. The structure `有所下降 (yǒu suǒ xiàjiàng)` means “has decreased to some extent,” a slightly softer and more formal way of stating the decline.
• Example 3:
  • 冬天来了，气温开始下降。
  • Pinyin: Dōngtiān lái le, qìwēn kāishǐ xiàjiàng.
  • English: Winter is here, the temperature is starting to drop.
  • Analysis: This shows 下降 used for weather. It's more formal than saying `气温低了 (qìwēn dī le)`, which means “the temperature is low.” 下降 focuses on the process of dropping.
• Example 4:
  • 今年手机的平均价格下降了百分之十。
  • Pinyin: Jīnnián shǒujī de píngjūn jiàgé xiàjiàng le bǎifēnzhī shí.
  • English: This year, the average price of mobile phones has decreased by ten percent.
  • Analysis: Perfect for discussing statistics and data. 下降 is paired with a specific amount (`百分之十`) to show the degree of the decrease.
• Example 5:
  • 经过治理，空气污染指数终于下降了。
  • Pinyin: Jīngguò zhìlǐ, kōngqì wūrǎn zhǐshù zhōngyú xiàjiàng le.
  • English: After implementing controls, the air pollution index has finally dropped.
  • Analysis: This example has a positive connotation because the thing that is decreasing (pollution) is negative.
• Example 6:
  • 他的学习成绩最近有明显下降。
  • Pinyin: Tā de xuéxí chéngjì zuìjìn yǒu míngxiǎn xiàjiàng.
  • English: His academic performance has clearly declined recently.
  • Analysis: Here, 下降 is used for an abstract concept (performance). `明显 (míngxiǎn)` means “obvious” or “clear,” modifying the verb.
• Example 7:
  • 医生说我的体重需要下降5公斤。
  • Pinyin: Yīshēng shuō wǒ de tǐzhòng xūyào xiàjiàng 5 gōngjīn.
  • English: The doctor said my weight needs to drop by 5 kilograms.
  • Analysis: Used in a health context. Note that it describes the need for the weight itself to drop. You could also use the verb 降低 (jiàngdī) here to say “I need to lower my weight.”
• Example 8:
  • 这支股票的价格昨天下降了三个点。
  • Pinyin: Zhè zhī gǔpiào de jiàgé zuótiān xiàjiàng le sān ge diǎn.
  • English: The price of this stock dropped by three points yesterday.
  • Analysis: A typical sentence you'd hear when discussing the stock market. See also its close synonym 下跌 (xiàdiē), which is used almost interchangeably in this context.
• Example 9:
  • 随着新产品的推出，旧产品的受欢迎程度下降了。
  • Pinyin: Suízhe xīn chǎnpǐn de tuīchū, jiù chǎnpǐn de shòu huānyíng chéngdù xiàjiàng le.
  • English: Following the launch of the new product, the popularity of the old product has decreased.
  • Analysis: This shows how 下降 can apply to abstract social metrics like “popularity” (受欢迎程度).
• Example 10:
  • 如果生产力下降，我们将无法完成订单。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ shēngchǎnlì xiàjiàng, wǒmen jiāng wúfǎ wánchéng dìngdān.
  • English: If productivity declines, we will be unable to complete the orders.
  • Analysis: A conditional sentence (`如果…就…`) common in business planning, showing a cause-and-effect relationship involving a decrease.

The most common point of confusion for learners is the difference between 下降 (xiàjiàng) and the directional complement 下来 (xiàlái).

• 下降 (xiàjiàng): A single, standalone verb meaning “to decrease” or “to descend.” It describes a trend or change in state. It is an intransitive verb, meaning it does not take a direct object.
  • Correct: `价格下降了。(Jiàgé xiàjiàng le.)` - The price dropped.
  • Incorrect: `他下降了楼梯。(Tā xiàjiàng le lóutī.)` - This is wrong because you can't “descend” a direct object like “stairs” with this verb.
• 下来 (xiàlái): A directional complement that is attached to another verb to show downward motion. It's about a physical action and its result.
  • Correct: `他从楼上走了下来。(Tā cóng lóushàng zǒu le xiàlái.)` - He walked down from upstairs.
  • Correct: `请把那个箱子拿下来。(Qǐng bǎ nàge xiāngzi ná xiàlái.)` - Please take that box down.
  • Incorrect: `价格走下来了。(Jiàgé zǒu xiàlái le.)` - This sounds very strange, as a price doesn't “walk.”

In short: Use 下降 for data, trends, and formal descent (like a plane). Use verb + 下来 for physical actions of moving something or oneself down.

• 上升 (shàngshēng) - The direct antonym of 下降. It means “to rise,” “ascend,” or “increase.”
• 降低 (jiàngdī) - A close synonym meaning “to lower” or “reduce.” The key difference is that 降低 is often a transitive verb; someone or something actively lowers something else (e.g., `公司降低了价格` - The company lowered the prices). 下降 is typically intransitive; the thing decreases on its own.
• 减少 (jiǎnshǎo) - To reduce or decrease. This term focuses more on a reduction in quantity or amount, whereas 下降 often focuses on a reduction in level, rate, or value.
• 下跌 (xiàdiē) - To fall or drop. A very close synonym, used almost exclusively for the sharp fall of prices, especially in financial markets (stocks, currency). It feels a bit more sudden than 下降.
• 衰退 (shuāituì) - To decline, fail, or recede. This is a much stronger and more negative term, often implying a serious decay or recession (e.g., `经济衰退` - economic recession).
• 降落 (jiàngluò) - To land (for an airplane, parachute, bird, etc.). It is more specific than 下降; 下降 is the process of descending, while 降落 is the final act of landing.
• 下来 (xiàlái) - A directional complement meaning “to come down” or indicating completion. It is not a synonym but is often confused with 下降.