Definition
降级 is a separable verb (离合词) meaning 'to demote' or 'to downgrade' in rank, position, or academic grade. When you need to add a measure word, duration, or the particle 了/过 between the verb and the object, the two characters split: 降了/过 + (measure word) + 级. Common contexts are workplace demotion (他被降了一级) and academic retention (学校把差生降级).
v.o.
to demoteto downgrade (in rank or grade)
Examples
- ，降级。Yīnwèi gōngzuò shīwù, tā bèi jiàng jí le.Because of a work mistake, he was demoted.
- 降级。Xuéxiào juédìng bǎ jǐ ge chéngjì chà de xuéshēng jiàng jí.The school decided to downgrade several students with poor grades.
- 。Tā qùnián bèi jiàng guò liǎng cì jí.He was demoted twice last year.
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