矮 (ǎi) — short (in height)
HSK 1 | adjective | short (in height), not tall
矮 (ǎi)
An adjective meaning "short" in height, used to describe people or objects that are not tall. It refers specifically to vertical height, not length. Its antonym is 高 (gāo), meaning "tall." Do not confuse with 短 (duǎn, short in length).
Meanings
- [adjective] Short (in height), not tall (for people, trees, buildings, or objects).
Example Sentences
她比她姐姐矮一点。 Tā bǐ tā jiějie ǎi yīdiǎn. She is a little shorter than her older sister.
那棵树很矮。 Nà kē shù hěn ǎi. That tree is very short.
这张桌子有点矮。 Zhè zhāng zhuōzi yǒudiǎn ǎi. This table is a little short.
他虽然矮，但是跑得很快。 Tā suīrán ǎi, dànshì pǎo de hěn kuài. Although he is short, he runs very fast.
Collocations
| Collocation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 很矮 | very short (in height) |
| 比……矮 | shorter than... |
| 矮小 | short and small |
| 又矮又胖 | short and chubby |
| 矮个子 | a short person |
| 矮墙 | a low wall |
Memory Hook
Antonym of 高 (gāo, tall). 矮 has the 矢 (arrow) component — imagine an arrow shot downward, keeping things low and short rather than high.