低

dī

亻 + 氐

HSK 2.0Level 4

HSK 3.0Level 4

Definitions

dī (adjective) low; below

dī (verb) to lower; to hang down

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 亻 represents the meaning and 氐 represents the sound.

Phonetic: 氐

About

低 is a phonosemantic compound: the radical 亻 ('person') on the left suggests human action or posture, while the phonetic 氐 on the right gives the sound. The character denotes lowness, whether in physical height, spatial position, or social status. It also functions as a verb meaning to lower the head or droop, conveying a downward movement or a depressed state of mind.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他低下了头。

Tā dī xià le tóu.

He lowered his head.

今天气温很低。

Jīntiān qìwēn hěn dī.

The temperature is very low today.

他低着头走路。

Tā dī zhe tóu zǒulù.

He walks with his head lowered.

请降低你的音量。

Qǐng jiàngdī nǐ de yīnliàng.

Please lower your volume.

这个书架太低了。

Zhège shūjià tài dī le.

This bookshelf is too low.

如果价格低，我就买。

Rúguǒ jiàgé dī, wǒ jiù mǎi.

If the price is low, I will buy it.

飞机降低高度准备降落。

Fēijī jiàngdī gāodù zhǔnbèi jiàngluò.

The plane is reducing its altitude to prepare for landing.

低收入家庭需要帮助。

Dī shōurù jiātíng xūyào bāngzhù.

Low-income families need assistance.

Related Characters

Component: 亻

Component: 氐

低