Chinese word

低于

Pronunciation

Pinyindī yú

Meaning

  • verbbe lower than

Example

他的成绩低于班级平均。tā de chéng jì dī yú bān jí píng jūn

His score is lower than the class average.

Illustration for 低于 (be lower than)

More examples

公司的利润低于去年同期。gōng sī de lì rùn dī yú qù nián tóng qī

The company's profit was lower than that in the same period last year.

Core concept

One thing falls on the lower side of a scale set by another thing.

Common phrases

  • 低于平均水平dī yú píng jūn shuǐ píng

    be below average

  • 低于预期dī yú yù qī

    be below expectations

  • 低于标准dī yú biāo zhǔn

    be below standard

Similar words

少于shǎo yú: Be fewer than a stated number of items or people.
没有méi yǒu: Show a smaller amount or lower degree than a reference point.

Definition in Chinese

表示某事物在数值、程度或位置上比参照对象更低，常用结构为“A低于B”。biǎo shì mǒu shì wù zài shù zhí chéng dù huò wèi zhì shàng bǐ cān zhào duì xiàng gèng dī cháng yòng jié gòu wèi A dī yú B

Word origin

The word is formed from 低 (dī, "low") and 于 (yú, "in relation to"), so a low position is explicitly set against a reference point.

Usage tips

  • For conversational Chinese, a fuller comparison pattern often sounds more natural, while this form fits headlines, data, and written comparisons.

Opposites

Word lists with this word