矮 (ǎi) - Short in stature & low in height

矮Tone 3

ǎi ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

安

矮 · ǎi

Short in stature;

low in height;

to lower;

to belittle;

inferior.

Short in staturelow in heightto lower

Usage highlights

Short personLow wallShort statureDwarf starLow tableShort building

Synonyms

  • 短— short (in length)
  • 低— low (in height or position)

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He is shorter than his brother (他比他哥哥矮).
  • The table is too low (这桌子太矮).
  • They built a low wall (他们建了一堵矮墙).
  • Don't look down on others (不要矮看别人).

Collocations

  • Short person(矮人)
  • Low wall(矮墙)
  • Short stature(矮个子)
  • Dwarf star(矮星)
  • Low table(矮桌)
  • Short building(矮楼)

Idioms

  • Half a head shorter(矮半头)
  • Short in stature but strong in spirit(矮个子志气高)
  • Looking down on others(矮人看场)
  • The dwarf blames the ant for being too short(矮子怨蚂蚁太矮)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese culture, height was sometimes associated with dignity and authority.
  • The character appears in both literal (physical height) and metaphorical (status, quality) contexts.
  • Modern usage emphasizes respect for people of all statures while retaining the literal meaning.

FAQ