1.
to sit down; to take a seat; to settle down
To lower oneself into a sitting position. More literary or deliberate than 座る, often implying carefully or comfortably settling into a seat.
ベンチに腰を下ろした。
I sat down on a bench.
どうぞ、そちらに腰を下ろしてください。
Please, have a seat over there.
疲れたので、木陰に腰を下ろして休憩した。
I was tired, so I sat down in the shade of a tree and took a break.
USAGE:
The verb 下ろす conjugates normally as a godan verb. This expression is more descriptive and slightly more formal or literary than simply 座る (to sit). It draws attention to the physical action of lowering oneself.
COMMON PATTERNS:
- ～に腰を下ろす (to sit down on/at ~)
CONTRAST:
- 座る is the everyday word for sitting down
- 腰を下ろす emphasizes the deliberate act of settling into a seat, often used in narrative writing
- 腰を掛ける is a similar expression, slightly more formal