垂 chuí droop
to hang; to dangle; near; droop
How it came to be
象形 · Pictogram
A drawing of the thing it means.
The small seal form shows flowers hanging down from a plant, above a line of earth.
用法
- To hang down/droop: 垂下头 (chuí xià tóu) hang one's head, 垂柳 (chuíliǔ) weeping willow.
- 垂直 (chuízhí) = vertical/perpendicular. 垂头丧气 (chuítóu-sàngqì) = dejected, crestfallen.
- In compounds like 垂危 (chuíwēi) it means 'on the verge of' (near death).