底

dǐ
HSK 4
#543 most
frequent character
background, bottom, base
noun

Character breakdown

Source: Make Me a Hanzi.

底 originally had 厂 cliff as an empty part showing a whetstone, with 氐 dǐ as sound part. 厂 changed to 广. The meaning 'bottom; base' was borrowed for the sound, then grew to 'remaining portion'.

Drawn as: cliff and rock

Ask DeepSeek

Example Sentences

这座山的底部很平坦。
zhè zuò shān de dǐbù hěn píngtǎn 。
The bottom of this mountain is very flat.
我们可以从底部开始清理房间。
wǒmen kěyǐ cóng dǐbù kāishǐ qīnglǐ fángjiān 。
We can start cleaning the room from the bottom.
我把这本书的底页撕掉了。
wǒbǎ zhè běn shū de dǐ yè sīdiào le 。
I tore off the bottom page of this book.

Same Characters, Different Readings

底de
(equivalent to 的 as possessive particle)

Words with similar meanings

底部dǐbù
base
Refers specifically to the bottom part of an object or area.
基底jīdǐ
foundation
A more formal term often used in a structural or scientific context.

Homophones

抵dǐ
to press against, to support

Your word lists

Sign in to add this word to your private lists.

Public Lists with 底

Maintenance & Chores
Cleaning, laundry, repairs, household tasks, and schedules.
House, Home & Living
Rooms, household items, renting, owning, basic utilities, neighborhoods.
Geography & Geology
Continents, landscapes, geological formations, mapping, and terrain.
HSK 4
All words for the HSK 4 test