小 (xiǎo) · small, tiny, young

Meanings

1 small
2 tiny
3 young
4 little

Characters

小

xiǎo

small; little; young

Examples

HSK 1

这个房间太小了。

Zhè ge fángjiān tài xiǎo le.

This room is too small.

HSK 1

她有一个小狗。

Tā yǒu yí gè xiǎo gǒu.

She has a small dog.

HSK 1

我小时候住在北京。

Wǒ xiǎo shíhou zhù zài Běijīng.

When I was young, I lived in Beijing.

Tips

usage

小 before a surname is an informal, friendly way to address someone younger: 小王 (Little Wang), 小李 (Little Li).

culture

In Chinese culture, being called 小 (young) is generally a compliment, unlike 老 (old), which can also be affectionate among friends.

Components

pictograph

小 xiǎo

small; little

Pictograph of three tiny grains or sand particles - the central hook is the largest grain, flanked by two smaller specks on either side, suggesting smallness and division. Functions as Kangxi radical #42 in its own right and indexes characters about smallness or fragmentation: 少 (few), 尘 (dust), 尖 (pointed), 尚 (still).

Radical

Small Kangxi #42

The 小 radical, originally three small dots representing tiny grains (Shuowen: 物之微也). Indexes characters about smallness, youth, or fragmentation: 少, 尔, 尘, 尖, 尚, 当. The reduced top form ⺌ appears in 学, 觉, 当, where it stacks above another component.