How to Write 低 (dī) — Meaning “low; to lower (one's head)”

Picture a person (亻) bowing very low, almost touching the ground. The right side 氐 looks like a person bending down with their head near the floor. This visual helps you connect the shape to the meaning “to lower one’s head.”

Start with the left radical 亻 (two strokes: a slanted line and a vertical line). Then write the right side 氐: first the short left-falling stroke, then the horizontal stroke, then a vertical hook, and finally a small dot. A common mistake is making the right side too tall—keep it balanced and slightly lower than the left radical.

All three share the radical 亻, but their right sides are different. 低 has 氐 (meaning “low”), so it means low or to lower. 仔 has 子 (child) and means “young” or “careful” (e.g., 仔细). 仕 has 士 (scholar) and means “to be an official.” Visually, 低 is taller on the right than 仔 and has a dot that 仔 lacks.

低 is very common in daily life—for example, 价格很低 means “the price is very low.” The word 低头 means “to lower your head” and also “to yield” in arguments. You also see it in 高低 meaning “height” or “level,” like asking about someone’s skill level.

Common words containing 低 include: 低头 (dī tóu) — to lower one's head; to yield; 高低 (gāo dī) — height; relative level; 很低 (hěn dī) — very low.