放 (fàng) — to release, let go; to put, place

entries → 放

TSUMUGU · TOCFL 1 (est.) · 字

放 character · TOCFL 1 (est.)

放＝攵＋方

ㄈㄤˋ · fàng

verb — to release, let go; to put, place

字源 FORM — what the parts do

攵義a hand with a stick — to drive, to strikethe forcing hand (攴)

方聲fāng — gives the soundtwo boats lashed side by side, or a plow's crossbar — squared off

Tfāng → fàng — the reading kept its sound, the tone fell

A hand with a stick (攵) drives something off; 方 fāng carries the sound. The old sense is to expel, to banish (逐也) — drive a person out. From driving away comes letting go, loosing — 放開、放手 — and then simply setting down: 放在桌上、放學.

故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by

拿棍的手（攵）往外一揮，把方（方）的東西趕走——放掉了。

The stick-hand (攵) swings outward and drives the thing away — letting it go.

字源記憶法

意 · Meanings

(本義)放逐、驅趕— to expel, banish

→放開、放手— to release, let go常用

⇒放置、擺放— to put, place常用

⇒放學、放假— to let out (school); to give time off常用

(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension