低平 (dī píng) — low and flat (of terrain, sound, or pitch)

Definition

低平 (dīpíng) is an adjective-like verb describing terrain, altitude, or tone that is both low and flat with little variation — unlike 平 (píng), which only means flat.

verb
low and flat (of terrain, sound, or pitch)

Examples

  • 低平，。
    Zhè piàn tǔ dì fēi cháng dī píng, shì hé zhǒng shuǐ dào.
    This land is very low and flat, suitable for growing rice.
  • 低平，。
    Tā de shēng yīn dī píng ér yǒu lì, ràng rén jué de hěn kě kào.
    His voice is low and flat yet powerful, making people feel very reliable.
  • 低平，。
    Zhè ge dì qū de hǎi bá dī píng, jī hū méi yǒu qǐ fú.
    The altitude of this area is low and flat, with almost no undulations.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

低dīlow
平píngflat

'低' means low and '平' means flat; together they describe something low and flat.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rénman, person
Sound part声符shēngfú
氐
氐dī低dī
Same sound today

In 低, the left side 亻 is a person, and the right side 氐 gives the sound; the image is a person lowering or bowing themselves.

Open 低 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The origin is uncertain. One explanation combines 八 (division) and 亏 (exhaled air) to show smooth speech.

Open 平 →

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