Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Low in height; having a small vertical distance from the bottom to the top: Describes something with a height below the average or normal level.
   • Low in level, degree, or amount: Refers to something below average in quantity, quality, standard, price, etc.
   • Low in pitch: Describes a sound with a low frequency.

Usage Examples

• Describing physical height:
  • Ngôi nhà này rất thấp. (This house is very low.)
  • Cậu ấy cúi thấp người xuống. (He bent low.)
• Describing level, degree, or amount:
  • Lương của anh ấy khá thấp. (His salary is quite low.)
  • Trình độ tiếng Anh của tôi còn thấp. (My English level is still low.)
• Describing sound pitch:
  • Anh ấy nói với giọng rất thấp. (He spoke in a very low voice.)
  • Hãy hát nốt này thấp hơn. (Please sing this note lower.)

Advanced Usage

• "thấp cổ bé họng" (idiomatic): To be of low social status and unable to make one's voice heard by those in power; to be powerless.
  • Những người thấp cổ bé họng thường khó tiếp cận công lý. (The lowly and voiceless often have difficulty accessing justice.)
• "nước cờ thấp": A poor or bad move in chess (figuratively, a poor decision or strategy).
  • Đó thực sự là một nước cờ thấp. (That was truly a bad move.)

Variants and Related Words

• Thấp khớp (n): Rheumatism (shortened form of "bệnh thấp khớp").
  • Ông ấy bị đau do thấp khớp. (He has pain from rheumatism.)
• Thâm thấp (adj, reduplicated form): Rather low (in height); attenuates the meaning of "thấp".
  • Căn nhà thâm thấp nằm cuối ngõ. (The rather low house is at the end of the alley.)
• Hạ thấp (v): To lower, to reduce.
  • Chúng ta cần hạ thấp chi phí. (We need to lower the costs.)

Synonyms

• Thấp bé (adj): Short and small (in stature).
• Kém (adj): Poor, inferior (in quality or level).
• Rẻ (adj): Cheap, low (in price).

Related Idioms

• "Chuồn chuồn bay thấp thì mưa": A folk saying meaning "When dragonflies fly low, it will rain."
• "Thấp như vịt": Literally "low like a duck"; used to describe a very poor move in chess (from the reference context).

adj

1. low poor, bad