低

低 U+4F4E, 低 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-4F4E ← 位 [U+4F4D] CJK Unified Ideographs 住 → [U+4F4F]

Translingual

Stroke order

Han character

低 (Kangxi radical 9, 人+5, 7 strokes, cangjie input 人竹心一 (OHPM) or 人竹女戈 (OHVI), four-corner 2224₀, composition ⿰亻氐)

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 98, character 8
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 504
• Dae Jaweon: page 207, character 1
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 137, character 4
• Unihan data for U+4F4E

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Chinese

trad.		低
simp. #		低

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 低
Small seal script s05919
References: Mostly from Richard Sears' Chinese Etymology site (authorisation), which in turn draws data from various collections of ancient forms of Chinese characters, including: Shuowen Jiezi (small seal), Jinwen Bian (bronze inscriptions), Liushutong (Liushutong characters) and Yinxu Jiaguwen Bian (oracle bone script).

Characters in the same phonetic series (氐) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
低	*tiːl
氐	*tiːl, *til
袛	*tiːl
羝	*tiːl
眡	*tiːl, *djilʔ
岻	*tiːl, *dil
奃	*tiːl
趆	*tiːl, *tiːls
柢	*tiːl, *tiːlʔ, *tiːls
邸	*tiːlʔ
底	*tiːlʔ
詆	*tiːlʔ, *diːl
坻	*tiːlʔ, *tjelʔ, *dil
抵	*tiːlʔ
牴	*tiːlʔ
觝	*tiːlʔ
弤	*tiːlʔ
軧	*tiːlʔ
骶	*tiːls
砥	*tjelʔ, *tjil, *tjilʔ, *tjils
胝	*til
疷	*til
秪	*til
泜	*dil
蚳	*dil
彽	*dil
阺	*dil
貾	*dil
祗	*tjil
厎	*tjilʔ, *tjɯʔ
茋	*tjilʔ
鴟	*tʰjil
汦	*kjeʔ, *tjil

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *tiːl) : semantic 亻 (“man, person”) + phonetic 氐 (OC *tiːl, *til) – a person lowering themselves, bowing.

Etymology 1

Cognate with 底 (OC *tiːlʔ, “bottom”), 柢 (OC *tiːl, *tiːlʔ, *tiːls, “root of a tree; base”), Tibetan མཐིལ (mthil, “bottom; floor”) (Schuessler, 2007).

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): dī (di¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄉㄧ

  (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): ди (di, I)

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): dai¹

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): ai¹

• Hakka (Sixian, PFS): tâi
• Jin (Wiktionary): di¹
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): te / ti

  (Teochew, Peng'im): di¹

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ¹ti

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: dī
    • Zhuyin: ㄉㄧ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: di
    • Wade–Giles: ti¹
    • Yale: dī
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: di
    • Palladius: ди (di)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ti⁵⁵/
  • (Dungan)
    • Cyrillic and Wiktionary: ди (di, I)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ti²⁴/

    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: dai¹
    • Yale: dāi
    • Cantonese Pinyin: dai¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: dei¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tɐi̯⁵⁵/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: ai¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ai³³/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: tâi
    • Hakka Romanization System: dai^ˊ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: dai¹
    • Sinological IPA: /tai̯²⁴/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: di¹
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /ti¹¹/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: te
    • Tâi-lô: te
    • Phofsit Daibuun: def
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /te⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang): /te³³/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ti
    • Tâi-lô: ti
    • Phofsit Daibuun: dy
    • IPA (Xiamen): /ti⁴⁴/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: di¹
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: ti
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ti³³/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ¹ti
    • MiniDict: ti^平
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹ti
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /ti⁵³/

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• Middle Chinese: tej

Rime
Character	低
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	端 (5)
Final (韻)	齊 (39)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	IV
Fanqie	都奚切
Baxter	tej
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/tei/
Pan Wuyun	/tei/
Shao Rongfen	/tɛi/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/tɛj/
Li Rong	/tei/
Wang Li	/tiei/
Bernard Karlgren	/tiei/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	dī
Expected Cantonese Reflex	dai1

• Old Chinese

  (Zhengzhang): /*tiːl/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	低
Reading #	1/1
No.	2234
Phonetic component	氐
Rime group	脂
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime	低
Old Chinese	/*tiːl/

Definitions

(deprecated template usage) 低

1. low (of height)
2. low (of quantity); behind average

   他們抱怨工資過低。 [MSC, trad.]
   他们抱怨工资过低。 [MSC, simp.]

   Tāmen bàoyuàn gōngzī guò dī. [Pinyin]

   They complained that the wages were too low.

   低糖的高纖豆漿／低糖的高纤豆浆  ―  dī táng de gāo xiān dòujiāng  ―  Low Sugar, High Fiber Soy Milk

3. low (of voice); quiet; soft
4. (dialectal Mandarin, Jin) short (in stature)
5. to lower; to hang (one's head); to bend; to bow

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 低 (“low”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		低
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	低
	Taiwan	低
	Malaysia	低
	Singapore	低
Jilu Mandarin	Jinan	低
Central Plains Mandarin	Xi'an	低
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	矮, 低
	Wuhan	低, 矮
Jianghuai Mandarin	Yangzhou	低
	Hefei	低, 矮
Cantonese	Guangzhou	低
	Hong Kong	低
	Taishan	低
	Yangjiang	低
	Singapore (Guangfu)	低
Gan	Nanchang	低, 矮
Hakka	Meixian	低, 矮
Jin	Taiyuan	低
Northern Min	Jian'ou	矮
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	下, 矮
Southern Min	Xiamen	下
	Quanzhou	下
	Jinjiang	下
	Zhangzhou	下
	Tainan	下
	Penang (Hokkien)	下
	Singapore (Hokkien)	下
	Manila (Hokkien)	下
	Chaozhou	下, 矮
	Shantou	下
	Jieyang	下
	Singapore (Teochew)	下
	Pontianak (Teochew)	下
	Singapore (Hainanese)	低
Wu	Suzhou	低
	Ningbo	低, 矮
	Zhoushan	低, 矮
	Wenzhou	低, 矮
Xiang	Changsha	低, 矮, 下
	Shuangfeng	低, 矮

Dialectal synonyms of 矮 (“short (in stature)”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		矮
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	矮, 矬
	Taiwan	矮
	Chengde	矮, 矬
	Chifeng	矮, 矬
	Hulunbuir (Hailar)	矮
	Heihe	矮, 矬
	Qiqihar	矮, 矬
	Harbin	矮, 矬
	Jiamusi	矮, 矬
	Baicheng	矮, 矬
	Changchun	矮, 矬
	Tonghua	矮, 矬
	Shenyang	矮, 矬
	Jinzhou	矮, 矬
	Singapore	矮
Jilu Mandarin	Tianjin	矮, 矬
	Tangshan	矮, 矬
	Cangzhou	矮, 矬
	Baoding	矬
	Shijiazhuang	矬
	Lijin	矮, 矬
	Jinan	矮, 矬
Jiaoliao Mandarin	Dalian	矮
	Dandong	矮, 矬
	Yantai	矮, 矬
	Yantai (Muping)	矮, 矬
	Qingdao	矮, 矬
	Zhucheng	矮
Central Plains Mandarin	Lingbao	矮, 矬
	Jining	矮
	Wanrong	低
	Linfen	矬
	Shangqiu	矮, 矬
	Zhengzhou	矮, 矬
	Xinyang	矮
	Baihe	矮
	Xi'an	矮, 矬, 低
	Baoji	矮
	Tianshui	矮, 矬
	Xining	矮
	Xuzhou	矮, 矬
	Fuyang	矮
Lanyin Mandarin	Yinchuan	矮, 矬
	Lanzhou	矮, 矬
	Dunhuang	矮, 矬
	Hami	矬
	Ürümqi	矬, 矮
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	矮
	Nanchong	矮
	Dazhou	矮
	Hanyuan	矮
	Xichang	矮
	Zigong	矮
	Chongqing	矮
	Wuhan	矮
	Yichang	矮
	Xiangyang	矮
	Tianmen	矮, 矮矬
	Guiyang	矮
	Zunyi	矮
	Bijie	矮
	Liping	矮
	Zhaotong	矮
	Dali	矮
	Kunming	矮
	Mengzi	矮
	Guilin	矮
	Liuzhou	矮
	Jishou	矮
	Changde	矮
	Hanzhong	矮
Jianghuai Mandarin	Nanjing	矮
	Yangzhou	矮
	Lianyungang	矮, 矬
	Lianshui	矮
	Nantong	矮
	Anqing	矮
	Wuhu	矮
	Hefei	矮
	Hong'an	矮
Cantonese	Guangzhou	矮
	Hong Kong	矮
	Hong Kong (San Tin Weitou)	矮
	Hong Kong (Ting Kok)	矮
	Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau)	矮
	Taishan	矮
	Dongguan	矮
	Yangjiang	矮
Gan	Nanchang	矮
	Lichuan	矮
	Pingxiang	矮
Hakka	Meixian	矮
	Yudu	矮
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	矮
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	矮
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	矮
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	矮
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	矮
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	矮
	Hong Kong	矮
Huizhou	Jixi	矮
	Shexian	矮
Jin	Taiyuan	矮, 低
	Yangyuan	矮, 矬
	Datong	低
	Xinzhou	矮, 低
	Lüliang (Lishi)	矮
	Changzhi	矮, 低
	Linhe	矬
	Jining	矬
	Hohhot	矬
	Erenhot	矮, 矬
	Pingshan	矬
	Zhangjiakou	矮, 矬
	Handan	矮, 矬
	Linzhou	矮
	Suide	矮
Northern Min	Jian'ou	矮
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	矮
Southern Min	Xiamen	矮
	Quanzhou	矮
	Zhangzhou	矮
	Taipei	矮
	New Taipei (Tamsui)	矮
	New Taipei (Sanxia)	矮
	New Taipei (Pingxi)	矮
	Kaohsiung	矮
	Kaohsiung (Cijin)	矮
	Kaohsiung (Hongmaogang, Siaogang)	矮
	Kaohsiung (Dalinpu, Siaogang)	矮
	Kaohsiung (Tianliao)	矮
	Yilan (Toucheng)	矮
	Tainan	矮
	Tainan (Anping)	矮
	Kinmen	矮
	Penghu (Magong)	矮
	Penghu (Xiyu)	矮
	Penang (Hokkien)	矮
	Chaozhou	矮
	Haikou	矮
Zhongshan Min	Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi)	矮
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	矮
Wu	Shanghai	矮, 短
	Shanghai (Chongming)	矮
	Suzhou	矮
	Danyang	矮
	Hangzhou	矮
	Ningbo	矮
	Wenzhou	矮
	Jinhua	短
Xiang	Changsha	矮
	Loudi	矮
	Shuangfeng	矮

See also

• 矮 (ǎi)
• 短 (duǎn)

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): kě / kē / kēe

  (Teochew, Peng'im): gê⁶

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• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kě
    • Tâi-lô: kě
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /ke²²/
  • (Hokkien: General Taiwanese, Xiamen)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kē
    • Tâi-lô: kē
    • Phofsit Daibuun: ke
    • IPA (Xiamen): /ke²²/
    • IPA (Taipei, Kaohsiung): /ke³³/
  • (Hokkien: Zhangzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kēe
    • Tâi-lô: kēe
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /kɛ²²/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: gê⁶
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: kĕ
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ke³⁵/

Definitions

(deprecated template usage) 低

1. (Southern Min) (deprecated template usage) Alternative form of 下 (“low”).

(deprecated template usage)

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Japanese

Kanji

低

(Fourth grade kyōiku kanji)

1. low
2. short
3. humble

Readings

• Go-on: たい (tai)
• Kan-on: てい (tei, Jōyō)
• Kun: ひくい (hikui, 低い, Jōyō)、ひくまる (hikumaru, 低まる, Jōyō)、ひくめる (hikumeru, 低める, Jōyō)

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Korean

Hanja

低 (eumhun 낮을 저 (najeul jeo))

1. hanja form^? of 저 (“low”)
2. hanja form^? of 저 (“cheap”)

Compounds

• 저렴 (低廉, jeoryeom, “cheap”)
• 저속 (低速, jeosok, “slow”)

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Tày

Noun

低 (đây)

1. Nôm form of đây (“good, beautiful”).

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Vietnamese

Han character

低: Hán Nôm readings: đây, đay, đê

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

References

• Nom Foundation