垂

• Pinyin: chuí
• Hanzi breakdown: 垂 = pictograph of hanging vegetation, originally depicting plants hanging down

Meaning

To hang down; to droop; to dangle. Something suspended and pointing downward.

Used for things that hang naturally by gravity — branches, curtains, hair, etc. Also used in compounds like 垂直 (vertical/perpendicular), 垂柳 (weeping willow). Can describe someone's posture when dejected.

Examples

1. 柳树的枝条垂到了水面上。 The willow branches hang down to the water's surface.
2. 她垂着头，一言不发。 She hung her head, not saying a word.
3. 窗帘从天花板垂到地板。 The curtains drape from the ceiling to the floor.

Usage Guide

Context: descriptive, literary, technical

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 她的长发垂在肩上。(Her long hair hangs over her shoulders.)
• 这两条线互相垂直。(These two lines are perpendicular to each other.)

Don't Say

• 垂一下手 (For lowering your hand intentionally, use 放下 — 垂 implies natural hanging by gravity)

Origin & History

Pictograph showing something hanging down. The character depicts vegetation or objects drooping from a height.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal