低
lower, short, humble
Readings
On'yomi
- テイ
Kun'yomi
- ひく.い
- ひく.める
- ひく.まる
Meaning
低 centers on being low in position, height, or status: physically short, lowered, or metaphorically humble.
Most common words using 低
20 of 276- 低いひくいN5
low (rank, degree, value, content, quality, etc.)
- 低ていN2
low (level, value, price, etc.)
- 最低さいていN3
least; lowest; minimum
- 低下ていかN2
fall; decline; lowering; deterioration; degradation
- 最低限さいていげんN1
minimum
- 低迷ていめいN1
hanging low (of clouds)
- 低温ていおんN1
low temperature
- 低めひくめ
lowish; somewhat low; on the low side; low (ball)
- 低音ていおんN1
low tone; bass; low voice
- 低減ていげん
decrease; reduction; fall; depreciation; mitigation
- 低速ていそく
low speed; slow speed
- 高低こうていN1
high and low; rise and fall
- 低空ていくう
low altitude; low sky
- 低俗ていぞく
vulgar; lowbrow; coarse
- 低層ていそう
low-rise (architecture)
- 低調ていちょう
inactive; slow; sluggish; slack; low tone; undertone; dullness; (market) weakness
- 低能ていのう
low intelligence; low IQ; feeble-mindedness; imbecility
- 低地ていち
depression; lowlands; low ground; bottom land; plain
- 低木ていぼく
shrub; shrubbery
- 低額ていがく
small amount (of money); small sum
Study
Etymology
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.
Meaning mnemonic
A person 亻 beside 氐, a shape suggesting something low or base. Imagine a person bending down low to touch the ground.
Reading mnemonic
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.