低点 (dī diǎn) — low point, lowest point

Definition

noun

low pointlowest point

低点。
Gǔ shì zài qù nián dá dào le yí gè dī diǎn.
The stock market hit a low point last year.
低点，。
Tā de zhí yè shēng yá jīng lì le yí gè dī diǎn, dàn hòu lái chóng xīn zhèn zuò qǐ lái le.
His career experienced a low point, but he later pulled himself together.
低点。
Zhè ge dì qū de qì wēn zài dōng tiān huì jiàng dào dī diǎn.
The temperature in this region drops to a low point in winter.

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.

The 点 where something is 低.

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.

亻氐低

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.

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 點; 点 is its simplified writing.

黑占點

Meaning part形符xíngfú

黑黑hēiblack

Sound part声符shēngfú

占

占zhàn點diǎn(r)

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 點 pairs 黑 (black) with 占 for its sound; the simplified 点 is a later abbreviation.

Appears in