below · down

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 下 has three strokes and indicates a position below a reference point or a downward direction.
• Basic usage: The location noun 下 is read した; 机の下 means under the desk.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Falling and lowering
  • 下がる is さがる, and 下げる is さげる.
  • 温度が下がる describes the temperature falling; 温度を下げる describes lowering the temperature.
• A whole-word reading
  • 下手 is read へた and means unskilled.
  • It does not use した unchanged or literally mean a position below a hand.
• The range of 以下
  • Numerical 以下, read いか, includes the stated value: 三つ以下 includes exactly three.
  • When pointing to material that follows, as in 以下の三点, it means “the following three points.”