低调 (dī diào) — how to say "low-key" in Chinese

低调

Low-key, modest

noun · adjective

Character composition

低

low

调

tone, tune

Radicals / Keys

人

Man

#9 · rén · 2 strokes

言

Speech

#149 · yán · 7 strokes

Collocations

保持低调

bǎo chí dī diào

to keep a low profile

低调的人

dī diào de rén

a low-key person

Examples

他做事低调,不喜欢炫耀。

He does things low-key and doesn't like to show off.

他很低调。

He is very low-key.

Writing

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Frequently asked questions

How do you say "low-key" in Chinese?

"low-key" in Chinese is 低调 (dī diào).

低调 meaning

低调 (dī diào) means "Low-key, modest".

How is 低调 pronounced?

It is pronounced dī diào (written as di diao, didiao). You can listen to the pronunciation on this page.

Low key in Chinese writing

It is written 低调: 低 has 7 strokes, 调 has 10 strokes. The Writing section above animates the stroke order of each character and lets you trace it.

What HSK 3.0 level is 低调?

低调 is on the HSK 3.0 levels 7–9 word list. It is not part of the six-level HSK 2.0 lists.

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More HSK 3.0 levels 7–9 words