低(ひく)め

ひくめ

noun, na-adjective

somewhat low; on the low side; lowish

1. somewhat low; on the low side; lowish

Slightly or relatively low. The suffix め softens the adjective, indicating a tendency or moderate degree rather than an absolute quality.

温度(おんど)を低(ひく)めに設定(せってい)する。

Set the temperature on the low side.

今年(ことし)の夏(なつ)は気温(きおん)が低(ひく)めだ。

Temperatures this summer are on the low side.

周(まわ)りの人(ひと)に聞(き)こえないように、低(ひく)めの声(こえ)で話(はな)した。

I spoke in a lowish voice so the people around us wouldn't hear.

Formed from 低(ひく)い (low) + the suffix め, which softens adjectives to mean "somewhat" or "on the ... side." This め pattern is extremely productive and commonly used in daily conversation to express preferences or approximate descriptions.

The め suffix attaches to the stem of i-adjectives (see RELATED WORDS).

Common collocations

低(ひく)めに設定(せってい)する: to set on the low side
低(ひく)めの価格(かかく): a somewhat low price
低(ひく)めの温度(おんど): a somewhat low temperature
低(ひく)めの声(こえ): a lowered voice

Related words

高(たか)め: somewhat high
多(おお)め: somewhat more; generous portion
少(すく)なめ: somewhat less
早(はや)め: somewhat early; on the early side

Watch out

低(ひく)め (lowish) is not the verb 低(ひく)める (to lower): 声(こえ)を低(ひく)める means 'to lower one's voice', 低(ひく)めの声(こえ) is 'a lowish voice'.

Related Words

Related: 高(たか)め (somewhat high)

Related: 多(おお)め (somewhat more)

Related: 少(すく)なめ (somewhat less)

Related: 早(はや)め (somewhat early)

general

Added 2026.4.19 21:33 · Revised 2026.10.7 15:55

24000/24497_hikume