Word

小 (xiǎo) — Chinese word meaning

HSK 1

Meaning of 小

形 xíng adjective

small

这个房间很小。

zhè ge fáng jiān hěn xiǎo

This room is very small.

前缀 qián zhuì prefix

small

小王是我的朋友。

xiǎo wáng shì wǒ de péng you

Xiao Wang is my friend.

Word breakdown

小 xiǎo — small

1 小学 xiǎo xué — elementary school HSK 1
- 小 small, elementary, junior (indicating basic level)
- 学 learning, study, school
Example

我的孩子在小学读书。

wǒ de hái zi zài xiǎo xué dú shū

My child studies at elementary school.
2 小学生 xiǎo xué shēng — elementary school student HSK 1
- 小 small, young (indicating elementary/primary level)
- 学 school, study (refers to the educational institution)
- 生 student, pupil (the person who studies)
Example

小学生应该早点睡觉。

xiǎo xué shēng yīng gāi zǎo diǎn shuì jiào

Elementary school students should go to bed early.
3 小时 xiǎo shí — hour HSK 1
- 小 small (unit of time)
- 时 time/hour
Example

我每天工作八小时。

wǒ měi tiān gōng zuò bā xiǎo shí

I work eight hours every day.
4 小朋友 xiǎo péng yǒu — child, kid HSK 1
- 小 small, little (indicates young age)
- 朋 friend (first part of 朋友)
- 友 friend (second part of 朋友)
Example

老师给小朋友讲故事。

lǎo shī gěi xiǎo péng yǒu jiǎng gù shi

The teacher tells stories to the children.
5 从小 cóng xiǎo — since childhood HSK 2
- 从 from, since (indicating starting point in time)
- 小 small, young (referring to childhood age)
Example

他从小就喜欢音乐。

tā cóng xiǎo jiù xǐ huan yīn yuè

He has loved music since childhood.

Show more (+33)

6 小孩儿 xiǎo hái r — child, kid HSK 2
- 小 small, little
- 孩 child
- 儿 diminutive suffix (erhua)
Example

这个小孩儿很可爱。

zhè ge xiǎo hái r hěn kě ài

This child is very cute.
7 小时候 xiǎo shí hòu — childhood; when (one was) young HSK 2
- 小 young, little (referring to age)
- 时 time
- 候 period, moment (forms 时候 meaning 'time, period')
Example

我小时候很喜欢画画。

wǒ xiǎo shí hòu hěn xǐ huan huà huà

I really liked drawing when I was young.
8 大小 dà xiǎo — size HSK 3
- 大 big, large (representing the larger end of the size spectrum)
- 小 small, little (representing the smaller end of the size spectrum)
Example

这件衣服的大小正合适。

zhè jiàn yī fu de dà xiǎo zhèng hé shì

The size of this clothing is just right.
9 小区 xiǎo qū — residential community HSK 3
- 小 small, indicating a subdivision or local area
- 区 district or area, indicating a defined zone
Example

我住在一个很安静的小区里。

wǒ zhù zài yí ge hěn ān jìng de xiǎo qū lǐ

I live in a very quiet residential community.
10 小心 xiǎo xīn — be careful HSK 3
- 小 small, indicating carefulness or restraint
- 心 heart/mind, indicating mental attention
Example

小心地板很滑。

xiǎo xīn dì bǎn hěn huá

Be careful, the floor is very slippery.
11 小伙子 xiǎo huǒ zi — young man HSK 4
- 小 young, little
- 伙 fellow, guy
- 子 nominal suffix (person)
Example

小伙子，你来自哪里？

xiǎo huǒ zi nǐ lái zì nǎ lǐ

Young man, where are you from?
12 小吃 xiǎo chī — snack, street food HSK 4
- 小 small (referring to small portions or modest servings)
- 吃 eat, food (referring to things to eat)
Example

我喜欢吃台湾小吃。

wǒ xǐ huan chī tái wān xiǎo chī

I like to eat Taiwanese snacks.
13 小组 xiǎo zǔ — group HSK 4
- 小 small (indicating a small-scale group)
- 组 group, team (the core meaning of organized collection)
Example

我们分成了三个小组。

wǒ men fēn chéng le sān gè xiǎo zǔ

We divided into three groups.
14 小说 xiǎo shuō — novel HSK 4
- 小 small, minor (referring to lighter narrative stories)
- 说 to speak, to tell (referring to narrative or story)
Example

她正在写一部小说。

tā zhèng zài xiě yī bù xiǎo shuō

She is writing a novel.
15 小于 xiǎo yú — less than HSK 5
- 小 small, little; indicates the lesser quantity in comparison
- 于 than; a comparative particle connecting the comparison
Example

这个数小于一百。

zhè ge shù xiǎo yú yì bǎi

This number is less than one hundred.
16 小型 xiǎo xíng — small-sized HSK 5
- 小 small (indicates size)
- 型 type/model (indicates category or form)
Example

这是一辆小型汽车。

zhè shì yī liàng xiǎo xíng qì chē

This is a small-sized car.
17 小姐 xiǎo jiě — Miss; young lady HSK 5
- 小 young; little
- 姐 elder sister; lady
Example

小姐，请问您需要什么？

xiǎo jiě qǐng wèn nín xū yào shén me

Miss, what would you like?
18 缩小 suō xiǎo — to reduce, to shrink HSK 5
- 缩 to shrink, to contract
- 小 small, smaller
Example

这个差距正在逐渐缩小。

zhè ge chā jù zhèng zài zhú jiàn suō xiǎo

This gap is gradually narrowing.
19 胆小 dǎn xiǎo — timid, cowardly HSK 5
- 胆 courage, bravery (literally gallbladder)
- 小 small, little (indicating lack of courage)
Example

他很胆小，不敢一个人走夜路。

tā hěn dǎn xiǎo bù gǎn yí gè rén zǒu yè lù

He is very timid and doesn't dare walk alone at night.
20 小偷儿 xiǎo tōu r — thief HSK 6
- 小 small, petty (adds colloquial tone)
- 偷 steal, thief (core meaning)
- 儿 diminutive suffix (Beijing dialect flavor)
Example

小偷儿偷走了我的钱包。

xiǎo tōu r tōu zǒu le wǒ de qián bāo

The thief stole my wallet.
21 小气 xiǎo qi — stingy HSK 6
- 小 small, petty
- 气 disposition, temperament
Example

他很小气，从不请朋友吃饭。

tā hěn xiǎo qi cóng bù qǐng péng you chī fàn

He's very stingy, never treats friends to meals.
22 小麦 xiǎo mài — wheat HSK 6
- 小 small (distinguishing wheat from other grains)
- 麦 wheat/grain (the base cereal crop)
Example

农民正在收割小麦。

nóng mín zhèng zài shōu gē xiǎo mài

The farmers are harvesting wheat.
23 微小 wēi xiǎo — tiny HSK 6
- 微 minute, extremely small
- 小 small, little
Example

即使是微小的进步也值得庆祝。

jí shǐ shì wēi xiǎo de jìn bù yě zhí dé qìng zhù

Even tiny progress is worth celebrating.
24 大同小异 dà tóng xiǎo yì — largely similar with minor differences HSK 7
- 大 major, large (referring to major similarities)
- 同 same, similar (the similarities/commonalities)
- 小 small, minor (referring to minor differences)
- 异 different, dissimilar (the differences/variations)
Example

这两个方案大同小异，没有本质区别。

zhè liǎng gè fāng àn dà tóng xiǎo yì méi yǒu běn zhì qū bié

These two proposals are largely similar with minor differences; there is no essential distinction.
25 大惊小怪 dà jīng xiǎo guài — to make a fuss about nothing, to overreact HSK 7
- 大 big, great (emphasizing excessive reaction)
- 惊 alarm, startle (the overblown emotional response)
- 小 small, little (indicating the trivial nature of the cause)
- 怪 strange, odd (the unusual occurrence that shouldn't warrant alarm)
Example

他只是迟到了五分钟，你不要大惊小怪。

tā zhǐ shì chí dào le wǔ fēn zhōng nǐ bú yào dà jīng xiǎo guài

He's only five minutes late, don't make a fuss about it.
26 大街小巷 dà jiē xiǎo xiàng — streets and alleys HSK 7
- 大 big, large (referring to main streets)
- 街 street (main thoroughfare)
- 小 small, little (referring to narrow alleys)
- 巷 alley, lane (narrow pathway)
Example

节日期间，大街小巷都挂满了灯笼。

jié rì qī jiān dà jiē xiǎo xiàng dōu guà mǎn le dēng lóng

During the festival, lanterns were hung all over the streets and alleys.
27 小丑 xiǎo chǒu — clown HSK 7
- 小 small; minor (forms compound with 丑 to mean 'clown')
- 丑 clown role (from traditional Chinese opera); ugly; comedic character
Example

马戏团的小丑表演很有趣。

mǎ xì tuán de xiǎo chǒu biǎo yǎn hěn yǒu qù

The circus clown's performance is very interesting.
28 小人 xiǎo rén — villain; petty person HSK 7
- 小 small; petty (connotes base or mean-spirited)
- 人 person; human (indicates a type of person)
Example

他是个小人，总是背后说人坏话。

tā shì gè xiǎo rén zǒng shì bèi hòu shuō rén huài huà

He is a villain who always gossips behind people's backs.
29 小品 xiǎo pǐn — skit, comic sketch HSK 7
- 小 small, short (indicating brief duration)
- 品 piece, work (artistic or performance piece)
Example

他们在春节晚会上表演了一个小品。

tā men zài chūn jié wǎn huì shàng biǎo yǎn le yí ge xiǎo pǐn

They performed a skit at the Spring Festival Gala.
30 小康 xiǎo kāng — moderately prosperous HSK 7
- 小 small, modest - indicates moderate level
- 康 prosperity, well-being - indicates comfortable living
Example

他们家已经过上了小康生活。

tā men jiā yǐ jīng guò shàng le xiǎo kāng shēng huó

Their family has already achieved a moderately prosperous life.
31 小心翼翼 xiǎo xīn yì yì — cautiously; very carefully HSK 7
- 小 small; forms 'careful' with 心
- 心 heart/mind; forms 'careful' with 小
- 翼 wing; symbolizes protective carefulness
- 翼 wing (repeated); emphasizes extreme carefulness
Example

妈妈小心翼翼地抱着刚出生的宝宝。

mā ma xiǎo xīn yì yì de bào zhe gāng chū shēng de bǎo bao

Mother carefully held the newborn baby.
32 小提琴 xiǎo tí qín — violin HSK 7
- 小 small (indicating smaller size compared to other string instruments)
- 提 to lift/hold up (describing how the instrument is held while playing)
- 琴 stringed instrument (general category of musical instrument)
Example

我妹妹正在拉小提琴。

wǒ mèi mei zhèng zài lā xiǎo tí qín

My younger sister is playing the violin.
33 小看 xiǎo kàn — underestimate HSK 7
- 小 small, insignificant (viewing as lesser)
- 看 to view, to regard (the act of perceiving)
Example

不要小看他，他很有能力。

bú yào xiǎo kàn tā tā hěn yǒu néng lì

Don't underestimate him, he's very capable.
34 小菜一碟 xiǎo cài yì dié — a piece of cake HSK 7
- 小 small
- 菜 dish
- 一 one
- 碟 small plate
Example

这对他来说是小菜一碟。

zhè duì tā lái shuō shì xiǎo cài yì dié

This is a piece of cake for him.
35 小费 xiǎo fèi — tip HSK 7
- 小 small, little (indicating a small amount)
- 费 fee, expense (money paid)
Example

在美国，给服务员小费是很常见的。

zài měi guó gěi fú wù yuán xiǎo fèi shì hěn cháng jiàn de

In America, giving tips to servers is very common.
36 渺小 miǎo xiǎo — insignificant HSK 7
- 渺 distant, remote, negligible
- 小 small
Example

在宇宙中，人类显得渺小。

zài yǔ zhōu zhōng rén lèi xiǎn de miǎo xiǎo

In the universe, humanity appears insignificant.
37 狭小 xiá xiǎo — narrow HSK 7
- 狭 narrow, confined
- 小 small
Example

他住在一个狭小的公寓里。

tā zhù zài yí ge xiá xiǎo de gōng yù lǐ

He lives in a cramped apartment.
38 胆小鬼 dǎn xiǎo guǐ — coward HSK 7
- 胆 courage, guts
- 小 small, little
- 鬼 person, fellow (colloquial, slightly derogatory)
Example

你这个胆小鬼，连老鼠都怕。

nǐ zhè ge dǎn xiǎo guǐ lián lǎo shǔ dōu pà

You coward, you're even afraid of mice.