下 Kanji: Meaning, Readings and Stroke Order

下: below; under; descend; inferior. JLPT N5; 3 strokes.

Readings

On readings

カ、ゲ

Kun readings

した、しも、もと、さ.げる、さ.がる、くだ.る、お.りる

Romaji

ka, ge, shita, shimo, moto, sageru, sagaru, kudaru, oriru

Study notes

下 indicates what is underneath or lower, in space and rank; as a verb it expresses going down and lowering.

On readings: カ in 地下 (ちか, underground), 以下 (いか, below), 下記 (かき, following), 下流 (かりゅう, lower course of a river). ゲ in 下旬 (げじゅん, last decade of the month), 上下 (じょうげ, above and below), 下品 (げひん, vulgar), 下車 (げしゃ, get down from a vehicle), 下宿 (げしゅく, room for rent from private individuals).

Kun readings: した, "under" (机の下, under the desk; 靴下=くつした, socks; 下着=したぎ, undergarments). しも indicates the lower part or lower course: 川下 (かわしも, downstream), 風下 (かざしも, leeward). もと, "under, at the base," appears in 足下 (あしもと, at one's feet). Verbs: さがる (下がる, go down, descend) is intransitive and さげる (下げる, lower) is transitive; くだる (下る, go down) and くだす (下す, pass judgment, make a decision); おりる (下りる, go down) and おろす (下ろす, descend, lower).

Special readings: 下手 is read へた (clumsy) but also したて (humble position). 下さい (ください, please) and 下さる (くださる, give, honorific form) use the kun reading くだ and are often written in hiragana today.

Remember: 下手 (へた, clumsy) is the opposite of 上手 (じょうず, skillful).

Example words

• 地下 (ちか) — underground; basement level
• 地下鉄 (ちかてつ) — subway
• 下旬 (げじゅん) — last third of the month
• 下 (した) — under
• 下がる (さがる) — go down; drop

Example sentences

いすの下にねこがいます。

isu no shita ni neko ga imasu.

There is a cat under the chair.

Stroke order

Follow the steps in order. Each new stroke is highlighted.

Stroke paths: KanjiVG, CC BY-SA 3.0. Sequential diagrams derived from the original paths.