零下
HSK 4 (exam 2025)HSK 2 (2021)
零下 (língxià) · below zero
零下 (língxià) means “below zero”. It is written with 2 characters: 零 (zero) + 下 (down). It is an HSK 4 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
How 零下 is built
The characters
零 líng · zero
What 零 is made of
- 雨yǔ — rain
- 帀zā — to rotate
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 巾jīn — cloth
- 帀zā — to rotate
- 令lìng — command
- 人rén — person
Origin hint: 雨 gives the meaning, 令 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
下 xià · down
What 下 is made of
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 卜bo — divination
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 丶 — dot
Origin hint: One stroke under another; compare 上 (above) (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
今天零下五度。Jīntiān língxià wǔ dù.It's five degrees below zero today.
北京冬天会到零下吗？Běijīng dōngtiān huì dào língxià ma?Does it get below zero in Beijing in winter?
Questions about 零下
What does 零下 mean?
零下 (língxià) means “below zero”.
How do you pronounce 零下?
零下 is pronounced língxià.
Which HSK level is 零下?
零下 is in HSK 4 (exam 2025) and HSK 2 (2021).
Related words
- 零食língshísnack
- 零钱língqiánsmall change
- 零件língjiànpart
- 零星língxīngscattered
- 零花钱línghuāqiánpocket money
- 零língzero
- 楼下lóuxiàdownstairs
- 下班xiàbānto finish work
- 下边xiàbianbelow
- 下车xiàchēto get off a vehicle
Learn 零下 with its group
It is part of HSK 2 (2021) · Group 47: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.