发射 (fā shè) is a transitive verb meaning 'to launch' or 'to fire,' most commonly used for rockets, missiles, satellites, or signals. The first character 发 (fā) means 'to send out' or 'to emit,' while 射 (shè) means 'to shoot' or 'to project.' Together, they emphasize the forceful, directed release of something into space or toward a target. It implies precision, power, and intentionality — not casual or accidental action.

This word belongs to formal, technical, and news-related registers. You’ll hear it in aerospace contexts (e.g., launching spacecraft), military reports (firing guided weapons), and telecommunications (transmitting radio signals). It’s rarely used for everyday objects — you wouldn’t say 发射 a ball or 发射 an email; instead, use 投掷 (tou zhì) for throwing or 发送 (fā sòng) for sending messages. The verb usually takes a direct object and often appears with time or location complements (e.g., 'at 9 a.m.' or 'from Jiuquan').