低 meaning and stroke order
Low; beneath; to lower (one's head)
How to write 低, stroke by stroke
7 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
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- 5
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- 7
Meaning of 低
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- low
- beneath
- to lower (one's head)
- to let droop
- to hang down
- to incline
How 低 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character.
氐 hints at the sound.
Radical: 亻 (man), shared by 277 characters on this site.
How to remember 低
低 is built from the person radical 亻 and 氐 (dī), which gives the sound. Picture a person 亻 bending low beside 氐, which has a short stroke hanging at its bottom like something drooping down.
低 (dī) describes things that are low in height, level, price, or volume, and it also works as a verb meaning to lower or bow. It appears in many common words like 降低 (jiàngdī) and 低头 (dītóu). Example: 今天的温度很低。(Jīntiān de wēndù hěn dī.) The temperature is very low today.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 低 with 底 (dǐ, bottom), which shares the 氐 part but has the 广 cover on top and a third tone. Remember that 低 with the person radical is the adjective "low," while 底 is the noun "bottom," as in 底下 (dǐxia).
Common words with 低
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 降低 | jiàngdī | to reduce; to lower; to bring down | HSK 4 |
| 低于 | dīyú | to be lower than | HSK 5 |
| 低头 | dītóu | to bow the head; to yield | HSK 6 |
| 低温 | dīwēn | low temperature | HSK 6 |
| 低调 | dīdiào | low pitch; quiet (voice) | HSK 7-9 |
| 低估 | dīgū | to underestimate; to underrate | HSK 7-9 |
| 低下 | dīxià | low status; lowly | HSK 7-9 |
| 高低 | gāodī | height; level; (music) pitch; relative superiority | HSK 7-9 |
| 低谷 | dīgǔ | valley; trough (as opposed to peaks) | HSK 7-9 |
| 低价 | dījià | low price | HSK 7-9 |
| 低迷 | dīmí | blurred (landscape etc); low (spirits) | HSK 7-9 |
| 低碳 | dītàn | (attributive) low-carbon; low-carb (diet) | HSK 7-9 |
| 忽高忽低 | hūgāo-hūdī | alternately soaring and plunging | HSK 7-9 |
| 低级 | dījí | low level; rudimentary |
低 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 低
How many strokes are in 低?
低 is written with 7 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 低 mean?
低 (dī) means low; beneath; to lower (one's head). A common word with it is 降低 (jiàngdī), meaning "to reduce; to lower; to bring down".
How do you pronounce 低?
低 is pronounced dī, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 低?
The radical of 低 is 亻, which carries the idea of "man". Dictionaries list 低 under this radical.
Is 低 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 低 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
What is the difference between 低 and 矮?
Both can mean low or short, but 矮 (ǎi) is mainly used for a person's height or short objects, as in 他很矮 (he is short). 低 is used for levels, positions, prices, voices, and temperatures, as in 价格很低 (the price is low).
What does 低调 mean in everyday Chinese?
Besides meaning a low pitch, 低调 (dīdiào) is very commonly used to describe someone who is modest or keeps a low profile. For example, 他很低调 means he does not like to show off.