低
dī · HSK 2
lower
⬇️ 低 = 亻(person) + 氐 (low base); 氐 also gives the dī sound
亻is the person radical; 氐 means 'base/bottom' and carries the dī reading, so 低 is a person brought down low. Same phonetic family as 底 (bottom) and 抵 (resist by pressing down).
低 — person radical 亻 + 氐 (base)
A semantic-phonetic compound. The left side 亻 (person) gives the meaning, while 氐 supplies the sound and originally depicted something reaching the ground or base. Together they suggest a person bowing low, which extended to the general sense of 'low' in height, position, or degree.