lower, short, humble
低 centers on being low in position, height, or status: physically short, lowered, or metaphorically humble.
低 combines 亻 (person) with 氐, which likely contributes both sound and the idea of being low or base. The component 氐 itself is associated with lowering or the bottom.
A person 亻 beside 氐, a shape suggesting something low or base. Imagine a person bending down low to touch the ground.
For テイ, picture a low table (テーブル, tēburu) where a humble person sits: table -> テイ, and the person stays low.
low (rank, degree, value, content, quality, etc.)
low (level, value, price, etc.)
least; lowest; minimum
fall; decline; lowering; deterioration; degradation
minimum
hanging low (of clouds)
low temperature
lowish; somewhat low; on the low side; low (ball)
low tone; bass; low voice
decrease; reduction; fall; depreciation; mitigation
low speed; slow speed
high and low; rise and fall
low altitude; low sky
vulgar; lowbrow; coarse
low-rise (architecture)
inactive; slow; sluggish; slack; low tone; undertone; dullness; (market) weakness
low intelligence; low IQ; feeble-mindedness; imbecility
depression; lowlands; low ground; bottom land; plain
shrub; shrubbery
small amount (of money); small sum