Difference between revisions of "Comparing "shao" and "xiao""

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== Sources and further reading ==
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=== Websites ===
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* [https://zh.hinative.com/questions/18536734 "小" 和 "少" 和有什么不一样? ] (HiNative)
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* [https://zhidao.baidu.com/question/2059931016792977507.html 少和小有什么区别?] (百度知道)

Revision as of 01:48, 8 March 2022

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”.











A2HSK2ASV4567
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

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