TongTong
Sign in

最低点 (zuì dī diǎn) — lowest point

Definition

noun
lowest point

Examples

  • 最低点。
    Jīn tiān de qì wēn jiàng dào le jīn nián yǐ lái de zuì dī diǎn.
    Today's temperature dropped to the lowest point so far this year.
  • 最低点，。
    Gǔ shì zài qù nián shí yuè dá dào le zuì dī diǎn, zhī hòu kāi shǐ fǎn tán.
    The stock market hit its lowest point last October, then began to rebound.
  • 最低点，。
    Tā de rén shēng céng jīng lì guò zuì dī diǎn, dàn tā cóng wèi fàng qì.
    He once experienced the lowest point in his life, but he never gave up.

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.

最低lowest
最zuìmost低dīlow
偏正Modifier + head
点diǎnpoint

最 strengthens 低, giving the sense of the lowest 点.

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
宀宀miánroof
Sound part声符shēngfú
取
取qǔ最zuì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape pairs 取, which gives the sound, with a roof-like top from 宀; marks above were later added to separate the “most” meaning.

Open 最 →

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 點; 点 is its simplified writing.

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.

Open 点 →
Appears in
Abstract Concepts

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