Comparing "shao" and "xiao"
Both 少 and 小 can translated to mean “little”. In this sense 少 means “little” as small in quantity or number, while 小 means “little” as small in size or magnitude. Yet, each has distinct uses as 少 can also mean “seldom”, “few”, or “less”, and 小 can also mean “young”, “minor”, or “petty”.
| 少 (shǎo) | 小 (xiǎo) | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | small (quantity or number), seldom, few, less | small (size or magnitude), young, minor, petty |
| Part of Speech | adjective | adjective |
| Formality | flexible | flexible |
Contents
To say to small (size or magnitude), young, minor, or petty use 小
Common Phrases
- 小孩儿
- 小姑娘
- 小问题
- 小河
- 声音很小
- 雨很小
- 小国
- 小房子
To say to small (quantity or number), seldom, few, or less use 少
Common Phrases
- 少联系
Sources and further reading
Websites
- "小" 和 "少" 和有什么不一样? (HiNative)
- 少和小有什么区别? (百度知道)
