矮 ǎi — short (in height), low
ǎi (third tone, dipping)ai3
short (in height), low
HSK 3· HSK 1–4 (classic)adjective
Meanings
short (in height), low
Short measured upwards from the ground — a person’s stature, a wall, a table. The opposite of 高. For a short object or a short stretch of time Chinese uses 短 instead.
adjective
Example sentences
- 我弟弟比我矮一点儿。我弟弟比我矮一點兒。Wǒ (third tone, dipping) dìdi (fourth tone, falling) bǐ (third tone, dipping) wǒ (third tone, dipping) ǎi (third tone, dipping) yìdiǎnr. (fourth tone, falling)···
My younger brother is a little shorter than me.
- 这个孩子还很矮，还没有桌子高。這個孩子還很矮，還沒有桌子高。Zhège (fourth tone, falling) háizi (second tone, rising) hái (second tone, rising) hěn (third tone, dipping) ǎi, (third tone, dipping) hái (second tone, rising) méiyǒu (second tone, rising) zhuōzi (first tone, high and level) gāo. (first tone, high and level)···
This child is still very small — not even as tall as the table.
Common mistakes
Not quite这件衣服很矮。
Correct这件衣服很短。
矮 measures height above the ground, so only something standing can be 矮. A garment, a road or a holiday is measured along its length: that is 短.