下 (xià) means "down, below" with 3 strokes, radical 一 (one), HSK 1 on the new exam.
Pronunciation
Meaning
Primary: down
Other meanings:
- below
Etymology
Oracle-bone origin
The mirror image of 上 in concept and origin. Oracle bone forms show a long horizontal baseline with a shorter stroke beneath it, indicating the position 'below' relative to that line. It is one of the canonical 指事 indicative characters, expressing an abstract spatial relation through pure positional symbolism rather than depicting any concrete object.
Form evolution
Just as with 上, a vertical stroke was added to anchor the lower mark to the baseline, distinguishing the form from 二 and giving it visual stability. Seal script settled the shape into a horizontal with a vertical descending from it and a short stroke to the right, and clerical script regularised this into the modern three-stroke 下.
How the meaning evolved
The core 'below' meaning extended to 'next' (下次 next time), 'inferior' (下属 subordinate), 'to descend' (下楼 go downstairs), 'to dismount or get off' (下车 get off a vehicle), and a measure word for actions (打一下 hit once). It also functions as a directional complement attached to verbs, indicating downward motion or completion into a contained space (放下 put down, 坐下 sit down).
Cultural note
下 in 天下 (literally 'under heaven') is the classical term for the entire civilised world or the realm under imperial rule, central to Chinese political philosophy. Learners often confuse 下 with 卞 (a surname); the difference is that 下 has no upper dot, while 卞 does.
Mnemonic
A stroke below the line — down, under
Basic info
| Pinyin | xià |
| Meanings | down, below |
| Stroke count | 3 strokes |
| Radical | 一 (#1: one) |
| New HSK exam | Recognise at HSK 1, write by hand at HSK 1-2 |
| Frequency | #222 most common |
Example sentences
Words containing 下
Related characters
On the new HSK 1 exam
Studying for HSK 1? Keep 下 with the rest of your level.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Appears in these articles
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Reviewed by RJ Murray, Founder, HSK Lord.