矮 (ǎi) · short (of height), low

Meanings

1 short (of height)
2 low

Characters

Combines 矢 (arrow) on the left with phonetic 委 on the right - anchored in the 'measuring' family with a faint bowing-low nuance.

Examples

HSK 1

矮的那个人是我弟弟。

Ǎi de nà ge rén shì wǒ dìdi.

The short one is my younger brother.

HSK 2

他比我矮一点。

Tā bǐ wǒ ǎi yìdiǎn.

He's a bit shorter than me.

HSK 4

这棵树很矮。

Zhè kē shù hěn ǎi.

This tree is very short.

Tips

usage

矮 is used for people and objects (height). For 'low' in abstract senses like temperature or price, use 低.

Components

radical

矢 shǐ

arrow

Left-side indexing radical 矢 (arrow) - historically arrows were used as a length standard for measuring height. The radical groups other measure / range characters (短 short, 矩 carpenter's square). Here it anchors 矮 in the 'measuring how tall' family rather than providing a literal arrow image.

phonetic

委 wěi

to entrust; bend down

Right-side 委 supplies the sound (wěi → ǎi, a heavy initial drift but preserved final). Faintly semantic too: 委 contains 禾 over 女 and carries a 'bowing, bending low' nuance, which fits the 'low, short' meaning. Same phonetic in 萎 (wither) and 倭 (short, ancient name for Japan).