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低调 (dī diào) — low-key, low-profile; (of voice, pitch) low, quiet, subdued

Definition

As a noun/adjective it means 'low-key, low-profile' — keeping a modest, unflashy presence (a person, event). Unlike 安静, it describes the person's chosen manner, not the environment. The pitch sense is rare; 委婉 fits better for 'tactful' speech.

low-keylow-profile(of voice, pitch) lowquietsubdued

Examples

  • 低调，。
    Tā yì zhí bǎo chí dī diào, bù xǐ huan chū míng.
    He always keeps a low profile and doesn't like to be famous.
  • 低调，。
    Zhè ge fā bù huì bàn dé fēi cháng dī diào, méi yǒu qǐng méi tǐ.
    This press conference was held very low-key; no media was invited.
  • 低调，。
    Tā de shēng yīn hěn dī diào, jī hū tīng bù qīng chǔ.
    His voice is very low, almost inaudible.

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
调tiáotone

低 gives the level and 调 the tone or register, so the word describes a subdued, low-key manner.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 調; 调 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
周
周zhōu調tiáo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 調 pairs 言 (speech) with 周, which shows how it was pronounced. The simplified 调 is a later shorthand.

Open 调 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Personality & Traits

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