<p>have a look of the 國語辭典, "下去" has 4 meanings:</p>

<p><a href="http://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/cgi-bin/cbdic/gsweb.cgi?o=dcbdic&amp;searchid=Z00000105631" rel="nofollow">http://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/cgi-bin/cbdic/gsweb.cgi?o=dcbdic&amp;searchid=Z00000105631</a></p>

<p>1　自上而下 - from top to bottom</p>

<p>2　用在動詞後﹒強調由上向下之意 - used after a verb, emphasise the action from top to bottom</p>

<p>3　用在動詞後﹒表示事情繼續進行 - used after a verb, showing the continuous state of the action</p>

<p>4　用在形容詞後﹒表示程度漸漸增加 - used after adjective, indicate the degree is increasing</p>

<p>in the example, "接下去说" is equal to "接著说", #3</p>

<p>then, "你這樣下去會累垮的" is also #3</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-12T01:26:20.317Z
2016-09-12T01:26:20.317Z
水巷孑蠻
<p>The other answer already explained the different usages of 「下去」, 
I would look into the logic behind it, and illustrate it with some examples.</p>

<p>「下去」is basically [下- down / downward (adverb) + 去 (directional particle)] structure that modify a verb before it. </p>

<p>Example: </p>

<ul>
<li>踢下去 kick down</li>
<li>咬下去 bite down</li>
<li>劈下去 hack down</li>
</ul>

<p>In the three examples above, the role of 「下去 」is simple -  it  indicates which direction the verb apply to (*downward) </p>

<p>The other use of "V+下去" indicate continuation of an action 「下去」= ( down the order/ continue next)</p>

<p>Example:</p>

<ul>
<li>讀下去 (keep on reading) </li>
<li>唱下去 (keep on singing)  </li>
<li>想下去 (keep on thinking) </li>
</ul>

<p>It functions like "繼續+V"</p>

<ul>
<li>繼續讀(keep on reading) </li>
<li>繼續唱(keep on singing)  </li>
<li>繼續想(keep on thinking) </li>
</ul>

<blockquote>
  <p>p.s. I just realized I may actually be confused by 接 in this sentence... Possibly could someone explain it to me? :/ </p>
</blockquote>

<p>接 here is a verb "to continue" </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>"父亲**接 下去 *说:.."</p>
</blockquote>

<p>"my father **continued, *and said:..."</p>

<ul>
<li>"and" in English also indicates "down the order in time line". For example:" catch and release" = "catch first then release right after"</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-12T02:23:26.290Z
2016-09-12T05:53:55.923Z
2016-09-12T05:53:55.923Z
Tang Ho
<p>I thought that 下去 was generally used in a V+下去 format. For example: 活下去</p>

<p>But I'm seeing it used before a verb in this sentence?  "父亲接下去说:..."    And in this sentence: "你这样下去会累垮的。”</p>

<p>Why am I so confused? Help. Please. </p>

<p>p.s. I just realized I may actually be confused by 接 in this sentence... Possibly could someone explain it to me? :/ </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-12T01:38:35.627Z
for use after verbs see grammars on （compound） directional complements (e.g. 接下去）, for 下去 as independent verb see dictionaries, e.g. bkrs:I
[go down; descend] 由高处到低处
月亮下去了
user6065
<grammar>
Can someone please clarify the different sentence structures I can use "下去" in?
# Can someone please clarify the different sentence structures I can use "下去" in?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-09-11)

I thought that 下去 was generally used in a V+下去 format. For example: 活下去

But I'm seeing it used before a verb in this sentence? "父亲接下去说:..." And in this sentence: "你这样下去会累垮的。”

Why am I so confused? Help. Please.

p.s. I just realized I may actually be confused by 接 in this sentence... Possibly could someone explain it to me? :/

**Tags:** grammar

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: for use after verbs see grammars on （compound） directional complements (e.g. 接下去）, for 下去 as independent verb see dictionaries, e.g. bkrs:I [go down; descend] 由高处到低处 月亮下去了  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-09-12. Score: 3

have a look of the 國語辭典, "下去" has 4 meanings:

<http://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/cgi-bin/cbdic/gsweb.cgi?o=dcbdic&searchid=Z00000105631>

1　自上而下 - from top to bottom

2　用在動詞後﹒強調由上向下之意 - used after a verb, emphasise the action from top to bottom

3　用在動詞後﹒表示事情繼續進行 - used after a verb, showing the continuous state of the action

4　用在形容詞後﹒表示程度漸漸增加 - used after adjective, indicate the degree is increasing

in the example, "接下去说" is equal to "接著说", #3

then, "你這樣下去會累垮的" is also #3


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### Answer by username_3 on 2016-09-12. Score: 3

The other answer already explained the different usages of 「下去」,
I would look into the logic behind it, and illustrate it with some examples.

「下去」is basically [下- down / downward (adverb) + 去 (directional particle)] structure that modify a verb before it.

Example:

* 踢下去 kick down
* 咬下去 bite down
* 劈下去 hack down

In the three examples above, the role of 「下去 」is simple - it indicates which direction the verb apply to (\*downward)

The other use of "V+下去" indicate continuation of an action 「下去」= ( down the order/ continue next)

Example:

* 讀下去 (keep on reading)
* 唱下去 (keep on singing)
* 想下去 (keep on thinking)

It functions like "繼續+V"

* 繼續讀(keep on reading)
* 繼續唱(keep on singing)
* 繼續想(keep on thinking)

> p.s. I just realized I may actually be confused by 接 in this sentence... Possibly could someone explain it to me? :/

接 here is a verb "to continue"

> "父亲\*\*接 下去 \*说:.."

"my father \*\*continued, \*and said:..."

* "and" in English also indicates "down the order in time line". For example:" catch and release" = "catch first then release right after"


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