<blockquote>
  <p><strong>擺放</strong></p>
  
  <p><a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/15120/" rel="nofollow">http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/15120/</a></p>
  
  <p>lay, layout, place, set</p>
</blockquote>

<p>-</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>擺</strong></p>
  
  <p><a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/2141/" rel="nofollow">http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/2141/</a></p>
  
  <p>[1] [v] <strong>lay</strong>; put; <strong>place</strong>; <strong>arrange</strong></p>
  
  <p>[2] [v] display; assume; put on</p>
  
  <p>[3] [v] state clearly; talk about</p>
  
  <p>[4] [v] wave; sway; swing; wag</p>
  
  <p>[5] [n] oscillating device; pendulum</p>
</blockquote>

<p>-</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>放</strong></p>
  
  <p><a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/862/" rel="nofollow">http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/862/</a></p>
  
  <p>[1] let go; release; set free</p>
  
  <p>[2] let out; dismiss; take leave</p>
  
  <p>[3] put; <strong>place</strong>; set; <strong>lay</strong></p>
  
  <p>[4] let off; set off; send out</p>
  
  <p>[5] distribute; hand out; lend for interest</p>
  
  <p>[6] send into exile; exile; banish</p>
  
  <p>[7] (of flowers) blossom; come into bloom</p>
  
  <p>[8] enlarge; lengthen; <strong>let out/down</strong></p>
  
  <p>[9] graze; pasture; put out to feed</p>
</blockquote>

<p>The topic is the verb "to place". Both  擺 and 放 can be the verb for "to place", but 擺 also implies the object is placed in a particular position (arranged)</p>

<p>You can say 擺下陣勢 ( lay down a formation) but not 放下陣勢, because a formation has to be arranged.</p>

<pre><code>桌子上摆着三本书。( more likely be neatly arranged)

桌子上放着三本书  ( either randomly or neatly positioned)
</code></pre>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-06T17:33:39.380Z
2016-10-06T17:43:52.853Z
2016-10-06T17:43:52.853Z
Tang Ho
<p>Both are valid but with subtle differences. 摆 is more like "put for display", while 放 is just "put".</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-06T17:01:19.480Z
2016-10-06T17:01:19.480Z
Wang Dingwei
<p>I know that both are supposed to mean "to place" but are they interchangeable? I know that 摆 can be used in the following manner: </p>

<pre><code>桌子上摆着三本书。
</code></pre>

<p>So could you also say something like</p>

<pre><code>桌子上放着三本书。
</code></pre>

<p>and have it be a valid sentence?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-06T18:24:37.513Z
cf.＂汉语动词３８０例＂  **摆／放**｜ **一、摆**  １。他的屋子里摆着两盆花儿。动词＂摆＂的意思是把物件放在一定的位置，也表示把物品陈列出来供人观赏。如～椅子、～家具、～商品等。２。开会的时候，大家摆事实，讲道理。＂摆＂在这儿意思是把事实、理由等罗列叙述出来。如～条件、～理由、～矛盾等。３。有的人爱摆阔气。＂摆＂在这儿的意思是故意在别人面前显示或夸耀自己。表示这种意思时，不单独做谓语，常含有贬义。如～架子、～威风、～排场等。４。见到主人，那条狗不停地摆着尾巴。＂摆＂在这儿的意思是物体向相反方向来回移动或变动。如～手、～小旗等。   **二、放** １。书架上放满了书。动词＂放＂的意思是把物件处于一定的位置。如～物品、～衣服、～自行车等。＂放＂和＂摆＂都有放置的意思，有时可以互换，它们之间的区别是：＂摆＂有排列出来供观赏的意思：＂放＂一般不含这种意思。２。明天放假，今天早点儿放大家回去吧。＂放＂在这儿意思是在一定的时间内停止工作或学习。如～学、～工、～暑假等。＂放＂还可以表示解除某种约束的意思，也表示使失去自由的重新获得自由的意思。如～人、～鸟、～俘虏等。＂摆＂不表示这些意思.
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-06T18:30:02.737Z
３。他从没放过枪。＂放＂在这儿是把某种物体发出去的意思。如～箭、～鞭炮、～风筝等。＂放＂也表示将光或气体等散发开来。如～光、～气、～味儿等。＂摆＂不表示这种意思。４。这菜太淡，再放点儿盐。＂放＂在这儿的意思是把某种物品添加进去。如～水、～糖、～牛奶等。＂摆＂在普通话中不表示这种意思，但在有的方言中使用。
user6065
<grammar><word-choice>
Is there a difference between 摆 and 放?
# Is there a difference between 摆 and 放?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-10-06)

I know that both are supposed to mean "to place" but are they interchangeable? I know that 摆 can be used in the following manner: 
桌子上摆着三本书。

So could you also say something like
桌子上放着三本书。

and have it be a valid sentence?

**Tags:** grammar, word-choice
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: cf.＂汉语动词３８０例＂  **摆／放**｜ **一、摆**  １。他的屋子里摆着两盆花儿。动词＂摆＂的意思是把物件放在一定的位置，也表示把物品陈列出来供人观赏。如～椅子、～家具、～商品等。２。开会的时候，大家摆事实，讲道理。＂摆＂在这儿意思是把事实、理由等罗列叙述出来。如～条件、～理由、～矛盾等。３。有的人爱摆阔气。＂摆＂在这儿的意思是故意在别人面前显示或夸耀自己。表示这种意思时，不单独做谓语，常含有贬义。如～架子、～威风、～排场等。４。见到主人，那条狗不停地摆着尾巴。＂摆＂在这儿的意思是物体向相反方向来回移动或变动。如～手、～小旗等。   **二、放** １。书架上放满了书。动词＂放＂的意思是把物件处于一定的位置。如～物品、～衣服、～自行车等。＂放＂和＂摆＂都有放置的意思，有时可以互换，它们之间的区别是：＂摆＂有排列出来供观赏的意思：＂放＂一般不含这种意思。２。明天放假，今天早点儿放大家回去吧。＂放＂在这儿意思是在一定的时间内停止工作或学习。如～学、～工、～暑假等。＂放＂还可以表示解除某种约束的意思，也表示使失去自由的重新获得自由的意思。如～人、～鸟、～俘虏等。＂摆＂不表示这些意思.  
> **username_1**: ３。他从没放过枪。＂放＂在这儿是把某种物体发出去的意思。如～箭、～鞭炮、～风筝等。＂放＂也表示将光或气体等散发开来。如～光、～气、～味儿等。＂摆＂不表示这种意思。４。这菜太淡，再放点儿盐。＂放＂在这儿的意思是把某种物品添加进去。如～水、～糖、～牛奶等。＂摆＂在普通话中不表示这种意思，但在有的方言中使用。  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-10-06. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

擺放
http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/15120/
lay, layout, place, set

-

擺
http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/2141/
[1] [v] lay; put; place; arrange
[2] [v] display; assume; put on
[3] [v] state clearly; talk about
[4] [v] wave; sway; swing; wag
[5] [n] oscillating device; pendulum

-

放
http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/862/
[1] let go; release; set free
[2] let out; dismiss; take leave
[3] put; place; set; lay
[4] let off; set off; send out
[5] distribute; hand out; lend for interest
[6] send into exile; exile; banish
[7] (of flowers) blossom; come into bloom
[8] enlarge; lengthen; let out/down
[9] graze; pasture; put out to feed

The topic is the verb "to place". Both  擺 and 放 can be the verb for "to place", but 擺 also implies the object is placed in a particular position (arranged)
You can say 擺下陣勢 ( lay down a formation) but not 放下陣勢, because a formation has to be arranged.
桌子上摆着三本书。( more likely be neatly arranged)

桌子上放着三本书  ( either randomly or neatly positioned)


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### Answer by username_3 on 2016-10-06. Score: 1

Both are valid but with subtle differences. 摆 is more like "put for display", while 放 is just "put".


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