<p>放假, 放(some)假 is a fixed structure, meaning &quot;to (canonically) begin a holiday&quot;, or &quot;to denote the start of a holiday&quot;.</p>
<p>In most common examples, 我们学校十二月二十二号开始<strong>放</strong>寒假 is better translated into <em>Our school's Winter holiday <strong>begins</strong> on December 22</em>.</p>
<p>And while “开始寒假” looks like a valid word-by-word translation, it simply doesn't sound natural to a Chinese ear.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-25T09:28:01.203Z
Thank you so much, but if 放假 means ”to begin a holiday", as you say, can you not simply say "我们学校十二月二十二号放寒假"?  Why do you need to double up on the "beginning" with 开始?
Nmdy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-25T09:52:28.270Z
@Nmdy Indeed, depending on context, 放假 may also refer to the status of "being on holiday", like 十二月二十三号我们正在放假 (Dec 23 is in the middle of our holiday). As you'd probably have noticed, it doesn't make sense to say "in the process of beginning a holiday", so I wouldn't consider 开始放假 as excessive repetition.
iBug
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-25T07:52:36.817Z
2022-08-25T07:52:36.817Z
iBug
<blockquote>
<p>If so can you just say:</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;...开始寒假&quot;？</p>
</blockquote>
<p>放 is the main verb in this sentence, 开始(begin) is the auxiliary verb, 寒假 is the noun</p>
<p>[我们学校][十二月二十二号][开始][寒假] would make 寒假 the main verb. Since 寒假 can only be a noun, we have to presume a verb is omitted</p>
<p>Example</p>
<p>[我们学校][十二月二十二号][开始][<em>討論</em>][寒假]</p>
<p>[我们学校][十二月二十二号][开始][<em>取消</em>][寒假]</p>
<p>[我们学校][十二月二十二号][开始][<strong>放</strong>][寒假] --&gt; make the most sense</p>
<p>It is not advisable to reduce 放寒假 to 寒假</p>
<blockquote>
<p>(And maybe this would move 学校 from topic to subject of the sentence?)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Change it to [我们][十二月二十二号][开始][寒假] doesn't change the fact that the main verb is omitted or you are using a noun (寒假) as a verb</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-25T09:29:31.683Z
Ah ok, amazing thank you, so is 开始 intransitive?  So it couldn't be the main verb as you say because you cannot "开始 an object", it has to be followed by a verb-phrase?  If so, what is the transitive form?
Nmdy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-26T12:16:45.783Z
@Nmdy I don't think it has a transitive form
埃博拉酱
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-24T18:36:03.180Z
2022-08-24T18:41:33.050Z
2022-08-24T18:41:33.050Z
Tang Ho
<p>Would a literal translation be:</p>
<p>&quot;As for our school, 22nd Dec begins the release (of students) for Winter vacation&quot;?</p>
<p>If so can you just say:</p>
<p>&quot;...开始寒假&quot;？</p>
<p>(And maybe this would move 学校 from topic to subject of the sentence?)</p>

<meaning-in-context><verbs>
What is the function of 放 in 我们学校十二月二十二号开始放寒假？
# What is the function of 放 in 我们学校十二月二十二号开始放寒假？

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-08-24)

Would a literal translation be:

"As for our school, 22nd Dec begins the release (of students) for Winter vacation"?

If so can you just say:

"...开始寒假"？

(And maybe this would move 学校 from topic to subject of the sentence?)

**Tags:** meaning-in-context, verbs


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2022-08-25. Score: 2

放假, 放(some)假 is a fixed structure, meaning "to (canonically) begin a holiday", or "to denote the start of a holiday".

In most common examples, 我们学校十二月二十二号开始**放**寒假 is better translated into *Our school's Winter holiday **begins** on December 22*.

And while “开始寒假” looks like a valid word-by-word translation, it simply doesn't sound natural to a Chinese ear.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thank you so much, but if 放假 means ”to begin a holiday", as you say, can you not simply say "我们学校十二月二十二号放寒假"?  Why do you need to double up on the "beginning" with 开始?  
> **username_1**: @username_0 Indeed, depending on context, 放假 may also refer to the status of "being on holiday", like 十二月二十三号我们正在放假 (Dec 23 is in the middle of our holiday). As you'd probably have noticed, it doesn't make sense to say "in the process of beginning a holiday", so I wouldn't consider 开始放假 as excessive repetition.  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2022-08-24. Score: 1

> If so can you just say:

> "...开始寒假"？

放 is the main verb in this sentence, 开始(begin) is the auxiliary verb, 寒假 is the noun

[我们学校][十二月二十二号][开始][寒假] would make 寒假 the main verb. Since 寒假 can only be a noun, we have to presume a verb is omitted

Example

[我们学校][十二月二十二号][开始][*討論*][寒假]

[我们学校][十二月二十二号][开始][*取消*][寒假]

[我们学校][十二月二十二号][开始][**放**][寒假] --> make the most sense

It is not advisable to reduce 放寒假 to 寒假

> (And maybe this would move 学校 from topic to subject of the sentence?)

Change it to [我们][十二月二十二号][开始][寒假] doesn't change the fact that the main verb is omitted or you are using a noun (寒假) as a verb

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Ah ok, amazing thank you, so is 开始 intransitive?  So it couldn't be the main verb as you say because you cannot "开始 an object", it has to be followed by a verb-phrase?  If so, what is the transitive form?  
> **username_3**: @username_0 I don't think it has a transitive form  

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