垂 chuí droop
to hang; to dangle; near; droop
How it came to be
A plant with the leaves hanging down over the edges on both sides, and the ground line under it. Everything in the drawing is falling away from the stem, which is the whole word.
How it is used
- To hang down/droop - 垂下头 (chuí xià tóu) hang one's head, 垂柳 (chuíliǔ) weeping willow.
- 垂直 (chuízhí) = vertical/perpendicular. 垂头丧气 (chuítóu-sàngqì) = dejected, crestfallen.
- In compounds like 垂危 (chuíwēi) it means 'on the verge of' (near death).