下台

下臺

xiàtái

verb HSK 7 #10,694

Meanings

1 to step down from power; to leave office
2 to come off stage

Characters

to go down; to leave

stage; platform

Literally 'to come down from the stage/platform' — used both literally (performers) and figuratively (leaders losing power).

Examples

总统被迫下台了。

Zǒngtǒng bèi pò xiàtái le.

The president was forced to step down.

演员下台后接受了采访。

Yǎnyuán xiàtái hòu jiēshòu le cǎifǎng.

The actor gave an interview after coming off stage.

别让他下不了台。

Bié ràng tā xià bù liǎo tái.

Don't put him in a position where he can't save face.

Tips

usage

下不了台 (xià bù liǎo tái, 'can't get off the stage') is a key expression meaning 'to be put in an embarrassing position with no way out' — closely related to the concept of 面子 (face). Making someone 下不了台 publicly is a serious social offense in Chinese culture.

Stroke Order

下 xià

台 tái