低谷
dī gǔ · HSK 7
fig. low point
📉 低 low + 谷 valley = the lowest dip in terrain or in life
谷 alone means valley or grain. Paired with 低 (low), it stresses the deepest point — used for literal geography and figuratively for rough patches or career slumps.
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.