下
shita
The Japanese word for 'down' is 下 (shita).
下 (shita) refers to the direction from a high to a low position. In formal contexts, the phrase 低下する (teika suru) can be used to mean 'to decline' or 'to diminish'. On the other hand, the onomatopoeic word ドン (don) is used informally to mimic the sound of something falling or hitting the ground.
Meaning: from a high to a low position, downwards (adv)
Which one should you use?
While 下 refers to the position or direction of down, its antonym is 上 (ue), which means up or above.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
You can expand 下 into different adverbial forms: adding the particle へ creates 下へ, meaning 'towards below' or 'downwards', while adding の方 creates 下の方, which describes a direction or a general area as 'the lower part'.
How do you pronounce it?
shita
Did you know?
- Japanese people use 下 in the term 下書き (shitagaki) to mean a 'rough draft', literally translating to 'bottom writing'.
- The word 下 can be read as 'simo', which refers to things located at the bottom of a hierarchy or even the 'lower' parts of a river, such as an estuary.
- In the Japanese language, 'down' can be expressed as 下がる (sagaru) for an object moving down and 降りる (oriru) for a person descending.
Examples in context
- 手を下げろ。Put your hands down!This sentence shows how to use 下 to command someone to lower their hands.Tatoeba #138761 by KK_kaku_, translation #2306 by rul
- 銃を下ろせ。Put your gun down.This sentence uses 下 to instruct someone to put a gun down.Tatoeba #10908158 by small_snow, translation #1682634 by Spamster
- 上下逆だよ。It's upside down.This sentence uses 下 to describe something being upside down.Tatoeba #12296496 by small_snow, translation #7760442 by Hybrid
- 123 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Ren are looking at a view from a balcony.
- 美咲 Misaki下を見て。shita o mite.Look down.
- 蓮 Ren下はとても高いね。shita wa totemo takai ne.It is very high down there.
- 美咲 Misaki蓮くん、怖くないの？Ren-kun, kowakunai no?Ren, aren't you scared?
- 蓮 Ren大丈夫だよ。daijoubu da yo.I am fine.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
