下乡

下鄉

xiàxiāng

verb HSK 7 #59,705

Meanings

1 to go to the countryside
2 to go down to rural areas (from a city)

Characters

to go down; to descend

countryside; village

Literally 'go down to the countryside' — 'down' reflects the traditional Chinese view that cities are 'above' rural areas in status.

Examples

医生定期下乡义诊。

Yīshēng dìngqī xiàxiāng yìzhěn.

Doctors regularly go to the countryside for free check-ups.

他年轻时下乡当过知青。

Tā niánqīng shí xiàxiāng dāng guò zhīqīng.

When he was young, he went to the countryside as an educated youth.

周末我们下乡去摘草莓吧。

Zhōumò wǒmen xiàxiāng qù zhāi cǎoméi ba.

Let's go to the countryside to pick strawberries this weekend.

Tips

history

下乡 is deeply tied to Mao's 上山下乡运动 (Up to the Mountains, Down to the Countryside Movement, 1968-1980), when millions of urban educated youth (知青, zhīqīng) were sent to rural areas for 're-education.' It shaped an entire generation, including many of China's current leaders.

Stroke Order

下 xià

乡 xiāng