below, down, descend, give, low, inferior
下 centers on a lower position or downward direction: being below, moving down, or descending. The senses of giving and inferiority are natural extensions of lowering something or being lower in status.
下 is a simple ideograph: a horizontal line with a vertical stroke and a short diagonal mark below it, indicating the concept of 'below' or 'down' relative to a reference line.
The horizontal line is a reference point, and the vertical stroke with the small diagonal mark points downward. Think of an arrow pointing below a surface: 下 means below or down.
For カ, imagine a car going down a steep hill: car -> カ, and the car descends lower and lower.
to give; to confer; to bestow
under (guidance, supervision, rules, the law, etc.)
below; down; under; younger (e.g. daughter)
not exceeding ...; not more than ...; ... and under; ... and below; ... or fewer
low rank; lower position; subordinate position; lower order (e.g. byte)
underground; below the ground
to come down; to go down; to fall; to drop; to sink; to get lower
humble position; inferior
unskillful; poor; awkward
fall; decline; lowering; deterioration; degradation
subordinate person
underwear; undergarment; underclothes; lingerie
top and bottom; high and low; above and below; upper and lower ends; up and down
top and bottom; up and down; high and low; above and below; upper and lower ends
the following
subway; metro; underground (railway)
down-train; train heading toward the ending point of its route
to make a decision; to draw a conclusion
the whole world
throwing down; dropping; airdrop
fall; drop; descent; coming down
lower half of the body; nether parts
socks; sock; stockings; stocking
trivial; trifling; insignificant; not worth bothering with; worthless; useless; good-for-nothing
to hang; to suspend; to wear (e.g. decoration)
lower part; substructure
fall; decline; lowering; hanging down; drooping; slanting (downward)
last third of a month; 21st to the last day of a month
to descend; to go down; to come down
descent; fall; drop; (atmospheric) depression
Your Majesty; His Majesty; Her Majesty
younger; junior
diarrhea; diarrhoea
price reduction; price cut; reduction in price; markdown
corridor; hallway; passageway
resigning from (public) office
rejection; dismissal
vulgar; indecent; coarse; crude
your Excellency; his Excellency; her Excellency
depreciation; decline; fall; slump
affiliated with; under jurisdiction of; under the umbrella
alighting (from a train, bus, etc.); getting off; getting out (of a car)
to take down; to bring down; to lower (a hand, flag, shutter, etc.); to drop (an anchor, curtain, etc.); to let down (hair); to launch (a boat)
low-lying part of a city (usu. containing shops, factories, etc.)
Your Highness; His Highness; Her Highness
drainage; ditch; gutter; sewerage
lower house; lower legislative chamber
groundwork; foundation
sewer; sewer system; sewerage; drain
reduction; cut
descent; fall; drop; decline; downturn; subsidence
downstream; lower reaches of a river
geta; traditional Japanese wooden sandal
withdrawal; discontinuance; abandoning; dropping
unskilled; clumsy; lousy; poor; awkward; shitty
lower grade; low class; junior (officer)
descending a mountain; descent
His Majesty the Emperor
directly under
boarding; lodging; board and lodging; room and board
lower region; lower part; region below
under the floor
desk pad; sheet of plastic (or cardboard, felt, etc.) placed under writing paper; underlay
subcontract
preliminary inspection; having a look in advance
to hang; to suspend; to dangle; to swing; to carry
to hang down (from); to dangle; to swing; to be suspended
castle town; city in Japan that developed around the castle of a feudal lord
lower limit
to look down (on); to condescend (to)
retiring high-ranking government officials taking a lucrative job in a private or semi-private corporation
subordinate; subordinates; inferior; inferiors; junior
at present; now
draft; rough copy
to overlook; to command a view of; to look down on
sinking; subsidence
third highest division; wrestlers of the third highest division
below freezing
subterranean tunnel
early afternoon
downhill; downward slope; descent
price decline; fall in price
second half of the year; second half of the fiscal year
burning low; waning; declining
preliminary investigation; preliminary inquiry
inferior; base; vulgar; low grade; lower class
the earth below; the ground below
to lower (a price, tax, standard, etc.); to bring down; to reduce; to cut
lower limbs; legs
the lowest; the worst
non-drinker; someone who cannot drink
leeward; lee; downwind
devaluation (e.g. of currency); markdown; write-down; undercutting
downstream
in the prefecture; prefectural
second half of the (fiscal) year
one's pupil; one's student; one's follower
pupil; disciple; follower
below zero; sub-zero
decrease in interest rates
to hang on to; to hang from; to cling to
lowest price
princess; Her Royal Highness
may I come in?
basement of a department store (where foodstuffs are usually sold)
going up and down; ascent and descent; climb and descent
please (give me)
abdomen; stomach; under parts
lower lip
underhand throw
lower right
cellar; basement
groundwater; underground water
municipal subway