压低 (yā dī) — to lower, to press down (price, voice, head, etc.)

Definition

压低 (yā dī) is a transitive verb meaning to physically press something down or figuratively lower a price, voice, or figure — the 'press' sense (压) is what separates it from simply 降低 ('lower/reduce').

verb
to lowerto press down (price, voice, head, etc.)

Examples

  • 压低。
    Tā qīng qīng de bǎ tóu yā dī le.
    She gently lowered her head.
  • 压低。
    Gōng sī jué dìng yā dī shēng chǎn chéng běn.
    The company decided to lower production costs.
  • 压低。
    Tā bǎ zhuō shàng de zhǐ yā dī le.
    He pressed down the paper on the table.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

压yāpress
低dīlow

压 means press and 低 means low, together meaning to press something lower.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 壓; 压 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔdust
Sound part声符shēngfú
厭
厭yàn壓yā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 壓 is built from 土, dust, and 厭, which gives the sound; 压 is the simplified form of 壓.

Open 压 →

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 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.