底谷 (dǐ gǔ) — low point, trough (likely intended as 低谷)

Definition

Note: the standard word is 低谷 (dīgǔ), meaning 'low point, trough' — usually for fortunes, mood, or performance. 底谷 is a common misspelling of 低谷.

noun
low pointtrough (likely intended as 低谷)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 底谷。
    Gōng sī zuì jìn chǔ yú jīng jì dǐ gǔ.
    The company is currently at an economic low point.
  • 底谷。
    Tā de xīn qíng diē dào le dǐ gǔ.
    His mood has hit rock bottom.
  • 底谷。
    Zǒu chū rén shēng dǐ gǔ xū yào yǒng qì.
    Getting out of a life trough takes courage.

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.

底dǐbottom
谷gǔvalley

底 (bottom) and 谷 (valley) combine to mean a low point or trough.

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
广广guǎngbuilding
Sound part声符shēngfú
氐
氐dī底dǐ
Same sound today

底 pairs 广 (building) with 氐, pointing to the bottom or foundation of a building. Some read 氐 as a bowing figure or tree root, adding a sense of 'down'.

Open 底 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 谷 comes from a picture of a valley: an opening between two near-parallel lines for mountain walls.

Open 谷 →

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