noun
The basic spatial sense: a place lower than, under, or beneath something. Commonly used with の下, 下に, 下で, and 下から.
机の下に猫がいる。
There is a cat under the desk.
坂の下で友だちを待った。
I waited for my friend at the bottom of the hill.
noun
Refers to the bottom or lower part of a page, screen, list, object, or area, rather than necessarily the space underneath it.
ページの下に番号が書いてある。
A number is written at the bottom of the page.
画面の下をタップしてください。
Please tap the bottom of the screen.
noun
younger; lower in rank; inferior
Extends the idea of being lower to age order, rank, ability, or status. 下の子 means a younger child; 下の者 means a subordinate or junior.
下の娘はまだ小学生です。
My younger daughter is still in elementary school.
実力は彼のほうが私より下だ。
In ability, he is below me.
下の者にも丁寧に接するべきだ。
You should treat even your subordinates politely.
noun
Used mainly in the idiomatic pattern 下から or 下より after a verb, meaning that something happens immediately after the previous action, often despite a warning or expectation.
注意した下から、また同じミスをした。
No sooner had I warned him than he made the same mistake again.
noun
Limited commercial shorthand connected with 下取り. In ordinary speech, the full word 下取り is clearer and much more explicit.
See also: 下取り
中古車販売の文脈では、「下」が「下取り」を指すことがある。
In the context of used-car sales, 下 can refer to a trade-in.
noun, used as a prefix
preliminary; preparatory
Prefix-like use in compounds such as 下準備, 下調べ, and 下書き, referring to something done in advance as groundwork or preparation.
See also: 下準備
旅行の下準備をしておく。
I will do the preliminary preparations for the trip.
発表の前に下調べをした。
I did some preliminary research before the presentation.
The usual opposite of 下 for position, direction, order, and rank: above, upper part, or superior.
Means the physical bottom or base of something, especially a container or deep place; 下 is broader and can mean lower position, underside, or lower rank.
The clear, standard word for a trade-in; 下 by itself is only a limited contextual shorthand for this meaning.
A common compound using 下 as a preparatory prefix, meaning advance preparation or groundwork.
A native Japanese spatial noun conventionally written with the kanji 下, whose meaning is associated with being below or lower. No loanword origin is indicated.