Definitions

(adjective) low; below
(verb) to lower; to hang down

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Phonetic:

About

The character 低, meaning "low", is a phono-semantic compound formed by adding the person radical 亻to the component 氐, which primarily provides phonetic indication but also carried an associated sense of being low or at a base level. In its traditional form, which remains identical to its simplified version in this specific case, the structure clearly combines these two elements. Originally, 低 described physical lowness in height or position, but its semantic scope broadened to encompass abstract qualities such as low status, humble attitude, or inferior quality. The component 氐 itself can mean "base" or "foundation", conceptually linking to the idea of something being at a bottom level, which reinforced the character's core meaning.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

下了头。

Tā dī xià le tóu.

He lowered his head.

今天气温很

Jīntiān qìwēn hěn dī.

The temperature is very low today.

着头走路。

Tā dī zhe tóu zǒulù.

He walks with his head lowered.

请降你的音量。

Qǐng jiàngdī nǐ de yīnliàng.

Please lower your volume.

这个书架太了。

Zhège shūjià tài dī le.

This bookshelf is too low.

如果价格,我就买。

Rúguǒ jiàgé dī, wǒ jiù mǎi.

If the price is low, I will buy it.

飞机降高度准备降落。

Fēijī jiàngdī gāodù zhǔnbèi jiàngluò.

The plane is reducing its altitude to prepare for landing.

收入家庭需要帮助。

Dī shōurù jiātíng xūyào bāngzhù.

Low-income families need assistance.