The story of 放

release

放 is composed of 方 and 攵, 方 depicts a criminal enclosed by a cangue, while 攵 is the picture of a hand holding a stick or tool, so 放 depicts a criminal being sent to some faraway place by someone, so it has the meaning of ‘to release’, ‘to free’ and ‘to let out’.

Vocabulary of 放

  • 釋放 (to release)
  • 放棄 (to give up)
  • 放牧 (to graze
  • to herd)

Classification

Related Characters: