V+低
Verb + Down Onto
Use Verb + 低 (dai1) to express moving or placing something down onto a surface or lower resting state. It applies to physical actions (坐低 'sit down', 放低 'put down'), writing down notes (寫低 'write down'), and figurative letting go (放低 'let go of emotional baggage').
How It Works
In Cantonese, 低 (dai1) serves as a post-verbal directional and resultative complement denoting downward movement that results in a settled, resting position, lower level, or abstract reduction.
1. Core Functions:
- Physical Placement & Posture: Lowering one's body or placing an object down onto a surface.
Examples: 坐低 (co5 dai1 - sit down), 放低 (fong3 dai1 - put down), 擺低 (baai2 dai1 - place down). - Recording Information: Transferring spoken or mental information down onto paper or a device.
Examples: 寫低 (se2 dai1 - write down), 記低 (gei3 dai1 - note down). - Leaving Behind & Relinquishing: Leaving objects, people, or feelings behind.
• 留低 (lau4 dai1): Intentional or neutral leaving behind (e.g., leaving a tip, staying behind).
• 漏低 (lau6 dai1): Accidental leaving behind / forgetting an item. - Abstract Lowering & Valuation: Expressing figurative reduction, pressing down, or underestimating someone.
Examples: 睇低 (tai2 dai1 - look down on / underestimate), 壓低 (aat3 dai1 - press down / lower voice), 減低 (gaam2 dai1 - reduce / lower).
2. Grammar Rules & Word Order:
• Standard word order: Verb + 低 + Object (e.g., 寫低電話號碼 se2 dai1 din6 waa2 hou6 maa5 'write down the phone number').
• Locative Pattern: To specify where an object is placed, use Verb + 低 + 喺 [Location] 度 (e.g., 放低喺張枱度 fong3 dai1 hai2 zoeng1 toi2 dou6 'put down on the table').
• Aspect markers attach directly after the compound: Verb + 低 + Aspect Marker (e.g., 放低咗 fong3 dai1 zo2 'has put down').
• Potential Infixes: Potential markers 得 (dak1) (can) and 唔 (m4) (cannot) insert between the verb and 低 (e.g., 放唔低 fong3 m4 dai1 'cannot let go', 放得低 fong3 dak1 dai1 'able to let go').
3. Cantonese vs. Formal Chinese / Mandarin:
In natural spoken Cantonese, use 低 (dai1) for downward placement (e.g., 坐低 co5 dai1). Avoid using formal Written Chinese 下 (haa6, Tone 6, as in 坐下), which sounds stiff when spoken. Do not confuse formal 下 (haa6) with the Cantonese delimitative aspect marker 吓/下 (haa5, Tone 5, 'for a bit', e.g., 坐吓 co5 haa5 'sit for a bit'), which is distinct in tone and meaning from directional 低 (dai1).
Examples (4)
- 唔該幫我寫低個電話號碼。
Please write down the phone number for me.
Word by Word: Please help me write down classifier phone number.
寫 (se2, write) + 低 (dai1) means 'write down' on paper or a device.
- 請坐低，飲杯茶啦！
Please sit down and have a cup of tea!
Word by Word: Please sit down, drink cup tea SFP!
坐 (co5, sit) + 低 (dai1) is the standard spoken phrase for 'sit down'.
- 我漏低咗個包喺張枱度。
I accidentally left my bag on the table.
Word by Word: I accidentally-left-down completed classifier bag at classifier table place.
漏低 (lau6 dai1) expresses accidentally leaving something behind, whereas 留低 (lau4 dai1) is intentional or neutral. Notice the location pattern: Verb + 低 + 喺 [Location] 度.
- 你唔好睇低佢呀。
Don't underestimate him.
Word by Word: You don't look-down him SFP.
睇 (tai2, look) + 低 (dai1) is used abstractly to mean looking down on or underestimating someone.
Common Mistakes
Using Mandarin/Formal Chinese 下 (haa6) instead of 低 (dai1) in everyday spoken Cantonese.
Different Meaning請坐下。請坐低。坐下 is fine in formal or written language and is understood anywhere. In casual spoken Cantonese, 坐低 (co5 dai1) is the usual way to say ‘sit down’.
Inserting aspect markers between the verb and 低 (dai1) instead of appending them after.
佢放咗低本書。佢放低咗本書。Aspect markers like 咗 (zo2) attach to the entire verb-complement compound, so 咗 must come directly after 低 (dai1).
Using 坐下 (haa5) when you mean 'sit down'.
Different Meaning請坐下 (haa5)。請坐低 (dai1)。請坐下 (haa5) is a good sentence, but 坐下 (co5 haa5) asks someone to sit for a little while. 坐低 (co5 dai1) means to sit down into a seat.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand V+低, you need to be familiar with how Cantonese verbs are modified by particles to indicate the direction or result of an action. This pattern specifically indicates a downward motion or the act of placing something onto a surface.
- Direction Word + 嚟/去Simple Directional
The pattern V+低 is a directional complement; understanding the basic directional system (using 嚟 and 去) provides the necessary framework for more specific directions like 'down'.
Level 2 - Resultative verb compounds
V+低 often functions as a resultative compound (e.g., 'put down' results in the object being down), so familiarity with resultative verb structures is helpful.
Level 2
Related Patterns
- V+落Verb + Downward
Both indicate downward motion, but 落 (lok6) emphasizes movement along a path/trajectory (e.g., going down stairs), while 低 (dai1) emphasizes bringing something to a resting surface or lower position.
Level 2 - 下Verbal Classifier: A Brief Instance
Easily confused due to similar pronunciation, but 下 (haa5) is a delimitative aspect marker ('for a brief moment'), whereas 低 (dai1) indicates directional lowering or resting.
Level 3 - 咗Perfective Aspect
Aspect markers like 咗 (zo2) attach after V+低 compounds (e.g., 放低咗) to mark completion of the action.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice V+低 in Bubblegum
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