====== páifàng: 排放 - To Discharge, To Emit ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** 排放, paifang, 排放 meaning, what does 排放 mean, Chinese for emission, Chinese for discharge, carbon emissions in Chinese, pollutant discharge, wastewater discharge Chinese, Chinese environmental terms.
  * **Summary:** Learn the crucial Chinese term **排放 (páifàng)**, which means "to discharge" or "to emit." This word is essential for understanding modern China, as it's at the heart of discussions about environmental protection, pollution, and climate change. From carbon emissions (碳排放) and factory wastewater discharge (废水排放) to government regulations, **排放** is a key vocabulary word you'll encounter in the news, official documents, and conversations about China's future. This guide will break down its meaning, cultural significance, and practical use with clear examples.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** páifàng
  * **Part of Speech:** Verb / Noun
  * **HSK Level:** HSK 5
  * **Concise Definition:** To discharge or emit substances, typically waste, pollutants, or energy, into the environment.
  * **In a Nutshell:** Think of a pipe pushing something out—that's the core image of **排放**. It’s a formal and slightly technical term used almost exclusively for releasing things into the environment. While the action itself is neutral, the substance being released (like smoke, chemicals, or carbon dioxide) is almost always considered undesirable. Therefore, **排放** carries a strong association with pollution and environmental impact.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **排 (pái):** This character's original meaning involves arranging things in a row, but it also carries the strong meaning of "to push out" or "to expel." The left-hand radical (扌) is the "hand" radical, indicating an action.
  * **放 (fàng):** A very common character meaning "to release," "to let go," or "to put." It implies a freeing or sending-out action.
When combined, **排放 (páifàng)** literally means "to push out and release." This powerful combination emphasizes the active, deliberate process of expelling a substance from a source (like a factory or a car) into the wider environment.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
While **排放** is a modern, technical term, its prominence in Chinese discourse reflects a major shift in the nation's focus. For decades, China's priority was rapid economic development, often at the expense of the environment. The consequences—severe air and water pollution—became impossible to ignore.
Today, controlling **排放** is a cornerstone of Chinese national policy. Terms like "carbon neutrality" (碳中和, tàn zhōnghé) and "environmental protection" (环保, huánbǎo) are central to the government's agenda. Therefore, understanding **排放** is not just about learning a word; it's about understanding a key tension and priority in contemporary China: the balance between economic growth and sustainable, "green" development.
In contrast to the West, where environmentalism often has strong grassroots or politically partisan elements, the push to control **排放** in China is largely a top-down, state-driven initiative. The word frequently appears in official Five-Year Plans, news reports on government crackdowns on polluting factories, and international climate negotiations. It represents a collective, national-level challenge that the government is tackling with immense resources and authority.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
**排放** is used in formal and semi-formal contexts, especially in writing and news media. You would rarely use it in a very casual chat unless you are specifically discussing an environmental topic.
  * **Environmental and Industrial Contexts:** This is its home turf. It's used to talk about any form of industrial or man-made emissions.
    *   Carbon Emissions: 碳**排放** (tàn páifàng)
    *   Wastewater Discharge: 废水**排放** (fèishuǐ páifàng)
    *   Exhaust Emissions: 尾气**排放** (wěiqì páifàng)
  * **As a Noun vs. a Verb:**
    *   As a verb: "to emit/discharge." (e.g., 工厂**排放**废水 - The factory discharges wastewater.)
    *   As a noun: "emission(s)/discharge." (e.g., 这里的**排放**很严重 - The emissions here are severe.)
  * **Connotation:** The word itself is technically neutral, but its context is almost always negative because it refers to waste and pollutants. Efforts to **减少排放 (jiǎnshǎo páifàng)** (reduce emissions) or **控制排放 (kòngzhì páifàng)** (control emissions) are seen as positive actions.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:**
    * 中国政府承诺在2060年前实现碳中和，这意味着必须大幅减少碳**排放**。
    * Pinyin: Zhōngguó zhèngfǔ chéngnuò zài èr líng liù líng nián qián shíxiàn tàn zhōnghé, yìwèizhe bìxū dàfú jiǎnshǎo tàn **páifàng**.
    * English: The Chinese government has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality before 2060, which means carbon emissions must be drastically reduced.
    * Analysis: This sentence showcases **排放** in a high-level, formal context of national policy and climate change goals.
  * **Example 2:**
    * 这家化工厂因非法**排放**有毒气体而被罚款。
    * Pinyin: Zhè jiā huàgōngchǎng yīn fēifǎ **páifàng** yǒudú qìtǐ ér bèi fákuǎn.
    * English: This chemical plant was fined for illegally discharging toxic gases.
    * Analysis: Here, **排放** is used as a verb describing an illegal and harmful action, highlighting its negative association.
  * **Example 3:**
    * 为了保护环境，我们应该购买低**排放**的汽车。
    * Pinyin: Wèile bǎohù huánjìng, wǒmen yīnggāi gòumǎi dī **páifàng** de qìchē.
    * English: To protect the environment, we should buy low-emission cars.
    * Analysis: This example uses **排放** as a noun in the common compound "低排放" (low emissions), a key marketing and policy term.
  * **Example 4:**
    * 日本决定向海洋**排放**核废水，引起了邻国的强烈抗议。
    * Pinyin: Rìběn juédìng xiàng hǎiyáng **páifàng** hé fèishuǐ, yǐnqǐle línguó de qiángliè kàngyì.
    * English: Japan's decision to discharge nuclear wastewater into the ocean triggered strong protests from neighboring countries.
    * Analysis: This demonstrates the term's use in international news, particularly in controversial environmental events.
  * **Example 5:**
    * 新的**排放**标准将从明年一月开始实施。
    * Pinyin: Xīn de **páifàng** biāozhǔn jiāng cóng míngnián yī yuè kāishǐ shíshī.
    * English: The new emission standards will be implemented starting next January.
    * Analysis: Here, **排放** is part of the set phrase "**排放**标准" (emission standards), a common regulatory term.
  * **Example 6:**
    * 城市里的主要空气污染物来自于工业**排放**和汽车尾气。
    * Pinyin: Chéngshì lǐ de zhǔyào kōngqì wūrǎnwù láizìyú gōngyè **páifàng** hé qìchē wěiqì.
    * English: The main air pollutants in the city come from industrial emissions and vehicle exhaust.
    * Analysis: This shows **排放** used as a general noun for "emissions" from a specific source (industry).
  * **Example 7:**
    * 该公司投资了新技术以降低其生产过程中的**排放**量。
    * Pinyin: Gāi gōngsī tóuzīle xīn jìshù yǐ jiàngdī qí shēngchǎn guòchéng zhōng de **páifàng**liàng.
    * English: The company invested in new technology to lower the emission volume during its production process.
    * Analysis: This introduces the related term "**排放**量" (páifàngliàng), meaning "amount/volume of emissions."
  * **Example 8:**
    * 法律严格禁止向河流**排放**未经处理的污水。
    * Pinyin: Fǎlǜ yángé jìnzhǐ xiàng héliú **páifàng** wèi jīng chǔlǐ de wūshuǐ.
    * English: The law strictly prohibits discharging untreated sewage into rivers.
    * Analysis: A clear example of **排放** as a verb in a legal or prohibitive context.
  * **Example 9:**
    * 通过植树造林，我们可以帮助吸收一部分的温室气体**排放**。
    * Pinyin: Tōngguò zhíshù zàolín, wǒmen kěyǐ bāngzhù xīshōu yībùfèn de wēnshì qìtǐ **páifàng**.
    * English: Through afforestation, we can help absorb a portion of greenhouse gas emissions.
    * Analysis: This connects **排放** to a positive solution, showing its role in broader environmental discussions.
  * **Example 10:**
    * 这份报告分析了不同行业的**排放**数据。
    * Pinyin: Zhè fèn bàogào fēnxīle bùtóng hángyè de **páifàng** shùjù.
    * English: This report analyzes the emissions data from different industries.
    * Analysis: Highlights the use of **排放** in a scientific, data-driven context.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  * **False Friend: Don't use 排放 for releasing information or products.**
    * A common mistake for learners is to use **排放** for anything that is "released." However, **排放** is reserved for physical substances/waste into the environment. For releasing a movie, a report, or a new product, you must use **发布 (fābù)**.
    *   **Incorrect:** `公司**排放**了最新的软件。`
    *   **Correct:** `公司**发布**了最新的软件。(Gōngsī fābùle zuìxīn de ruǎnjiàn.)` - The company released the latest software.
  * **排放 (páifàng) vs. 放 (fàng):**
    *   **放 (fàng)** is a much broader, more general verb meaning "to put" or "to release." You can **放** a book on the table (把书放在桌子上), **放** fireworks (放烟花), or **放** someone go (放他走).
    *   **排放 (páifàng)** is highly specific. You cannot use it for these general situations. It's only for the technical or environmental discharge of waste. You wouldn't say you **排放** a balloon; you would say **放**一个气球 (fàng yīgè qìqiú).
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * [[污染]] (wūrǎn) - Pollution. The direct consequence of harmful **排放**.
  * [[环保]] (huánbǎo) - Environmental Protection. The field and actions dedicated to controlling **排放**.
  * [[废气]] (fèiqì) - Waste Gas / Exhaust. A specific type of substance that is often subject to **排放**.
  * [[废水]] (fèishuǐ) - Wastewater. Another common substance that is discharged (**排放**).
  * [[碳中和]] (tàn zhōnghé) - Carbon Neutrality. The major national goal related to reducing carbon **排放**.
  * [[减排]] (jiǎnpái) - To Reduce Emissions. A common abbreviated verb form of "减少排放" (jiǎnshǎo páifàng).
  * [[排放量]] (páifàngliàng) - Emission Volume. A specific noun used to quantify the amount of emissions.
  * [[标准]] (biāozhǔn) - Standard. Often used in the phrase **排放**标准 (emission standards).
  * [[控制]] (kòngzhì) - To Control. A verb frequently paired with **排放**, as in 控制**排放** (to control emissions).