Basic Meaning
The character 少 (shǎo) primarily means "few" or "little" in quantity. It is commonly used to describe a small number or amount of something, such as people, objects, or time.
Additional Uses
Besides quantity, 少 can also indicate "young" when referring to age, often in comparative contexts. For example, "他比我少三岁" means "He is three years younger than me."
Common Collocations
- 很少 (hěn shǎo): very few, rarely
- 少说话 (shǎo shuō huà): talk less
- 少吃 (shǎo chī): eat less
These collocations show how 少 is used to express scarcity or reduction in various contexts.
Usage Notes
少 is often used attributively before nouns or in comparative sentences. When expressing "few" as an adverb, it usually appears with 很 (hěn) or other modifiers. Avoid confusing 少 with 少许 (shǎo xǔ), which means "a little bit" and is more about quantity than frequency.
Basic Meaning
The character 少 (shǎo) primarily means "few" or "little" in quantity. It is commonly used to describe a small number or amount of something, such as people, objects, or time.
Additional Uses
Besides quantity, 少 can also indicate "young" when referring to age, often in comparative contexts. For example, "他比我少三岁" means "He is three years younger than me."
Common Collocations
- 很少 (hěn shǎo): very few, rarely
- 少说话 (shǎo shuō huà): talk less
- 少吃 (shǎo chī): eat less
These collocations show how 少 is used to express scarcity or reduction in various contexts.
Usage Notes
少 is often used attributively before nouns or in comparative sentences. When expressing "few" as an adverb, it usually appears with 很 (hěn) or other modifiers. Avoid confusing 少 with 少许 (shǎo xǔ), which means "a little bit" and is more about quantity than frequency.
Basic Meaning
The character 少 (shǎo) primarily means "few" or "little" in quantity. It is commonly used to describe a small number or amount of something, such as people, objects, or time.
Additional Uses
Besides quantity, 少 can also indicate "young" when referring to age, often in comparative contexts. For example, "他比我少三岁" means "He is three years younger than me."
Common Collocations
- 很少 (hěn shǎo): very few, rarely
- 少说话 (shǎo shuō huà): talk less
- 少吃 (shǎo chī): eat less
These collocations show how 少 is used to express scarcity or reduction in various contexts.
Usage Notes
少 is often used attributively before nouns or in comparative sentences. When expressing "few" as an adverb, it usually appears with 很 (hěn) or other modifiers. Avoid confusing 少 with 少许 (shǎo xǔ), which means "a little bit" and is more about quantity than frequency.