noun
lower reaches (of a river)
Specifically refers to the downstream portion of a river. Antonym: 上 (かみ) for upper reaches.
Antonyms: 上 (かみ)
この川の下には小さな村がある。
There is a small village in the lower reaches of this river.
noun
General spatial sense: the lower portion of something, opposite of 上 (かみ).
棚の下に本が落ちている。
A book has fallen under the shelf.
noun
end; far from the imperial palace; western Japan
Historical or geographical term: the area distant from Kyoto, especially western regions. Also used in compounds like 下京 (しもぎょう).
下の地方から都へ上る。
To go up to the capital from the distant provinces.
noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
Used attributively with の to describe something crude or obscene, such as jokes or stories.
彼は下の話ばかりする。
He only tells dirty jokes.
Antonym for senses 1 and 2: upper reaches of a river, or upper part of something.
The reading しも is a native Japanese word for 'lower' or 'downward', historically contrasted with かみ (upper). The kanji 下 is conventionally used for this meaning.