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低度 (dī dù) — low-degree; low-level (used before a noun, e.g. low-alcohol, low myopia)

Definition

A modifier for things measured on a scale, meaning 'low-' (low-alcohol, low myopia). It always goes before a noun; the base noun 度 itself means 'degree/level'.

adjective
low-degreelow-level (used before a noun, e.g. low-alcohol, low myopia)

Examples

  • 低度，。
    Wǒ xǐ huan hē dī dù jiǔ, bú huì nà me kuài zuì.
    I like to drink low-alcohol liquor; I won't get drunk so fast.
  • 低度。
    Tā de dī dù jìn shì bù xū yào dài yǎn jìng.
    His low myopia doesn't require wearing glasses.
  • 低度。
    Zhè jiā cān tīng tí gōng dī dù pí jiǔ hé guǒ zhī.
    This restaurant offers low-alcohol beer and fruit juice.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

低dīlow
度dùdegree

“低” (low) and “度” (degree) mean a low degree or level.

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 →

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
又又yòuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
石
石shí度dù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

度 has 又 (hand) and a changed form of 石; 石 gives a related sound, and the hand is tied to using the hand as a reference for measurement.

Open 度 →
Appears in
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