Small in amount; not many.
Few, little, less; young (shào). Small (小) sliced by a slash (丿) — even less remains.
少
Common Usage & Traps
- 多少 — how many / how much
- 很少 — very few / very little
- 少一点 — a little less
- 不少 — quite a lot
- 少吃点 — eat a little less
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这件衣服太少这件衣服太小少 counts how many. 小 measures how big. A tight shirt is small in size, not small in number. 衣服太少 means the shop ran out of shirts.
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我吃少我吃得少 / 我少吃点少 goes in front of the verb when it means less: 少吃点, 少说话. To describe how little you eat, use 吃得少.
Your shirt feels too tight. Do you say 这件衣服太小 or 这件衣服太少?
太小. 少 counts how many things; 小 measures how big.
少 is about quantity. It tells you there are not enough things. 小 is about size. It tells you an object takes up less space. So a tight shirt is 太小. It is 太少 only when the shop does not have enough shirts for you. Saying 衣服太少 sends the shop assistant looking for more stock, not a bigger size.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Shirt that does not fit | 这件衣服太小 | 这件衣服太少 |
| Not enough shirts in stock | 衣服太少了 | 衣服太小了 (means tiny shirts) |
| Not enough money | 钱太少了 | 钱太小了 |
| Not many people around | 人很少 | 人很小 |
Your friend has 200 books on the shelf. Do you ask 你有几本书 or 你有多少本书?
多少 handles any number. 几 only works for small ones.
几 only works for small counts, usually under ten. Asking 你有几本书 about a full wall of books sounds wrong. 多少 works for any count, big or small, and it never sounds odd. Both words need a measure word before a noun: 几本书, 多少本书. When no noun follows, only 多少 can stand alone: 你要多少.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Two hundred books | 你有多少本书 | 你有几本书 (几 caps out around ten) |
| No noun afterwards | 你要多少 | 你要几 (needs a measure word and a noun) |
| Two or three cups on the table | 桌上有几个杯子 | 桌上有多少杯子 (hints you expect a big number) |
Five friends are coming over, but you only grabbed four bottles of water. Do you say 少了一瓶水 or 一瓶水少了?
少了一瓶水. 少 can lead a sentence as the word for missing.
少 does more than describe a small amount. It can also start a sentence and mean to be missing or short. Whatever is missing comes right after it: 少了一瓶水, 少了一个人. The 了 marks this as a fact that just became true. When you only describe a small amount, 少 stays after the noun: 人很少, 钱很少.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| One bottle missing | 少了一瓶水 | 一瓶水少了 |
| One person missing from the group | 少了一个人 | 一个人少了 |
| Not much money | 钱很少 | 少钱 |
Appears in Stories 11 stories
Follow Xiao Li as he copes with the effects of forest fires near his home in the US and reflects on environmental changes. A thoughtful story for HSK 4 learners.
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至少 一百万棵树着了火，很多树已经倒了。
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可是今年很奇怪，天上 很少 有云，也 很少 下雨，一直非常热。
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春天和夏天雨水 少 ，温度高的时候，人们也要特别小心森林大火。
This heartwarming story shows how a small act of kindness can be passed on. Follow Gao Xianming as he learns an important lesson about generosity in his new city.
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坐车要九块钱，高先明手里有四块钱， 少 五块钱。
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高先明看见一个中国同学安小语，也是手里 少 五块钱，不能上车。
Why would a millionaire leave a table of lobster and wagyu untouched? This story explores the hidden rules of business dining and the true cost of staying alert.
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他说，我这些年养成的习惯，饭局上 少 吃，特别是不碰荤菜，碰了脑子就不清醒。
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从那以后他才学会了，饭桌上吃得 越少 ，别人越拿不准你，越拿不准就越不敢动你。
Think instant noodles are unhealthy? This HSK 6 article challenges common myths and reveals surprising facts about nutrition, oil, and salt in this convenient food.
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这些 多多少少 都能补充人体所需要的一些营养成分。
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由于油炸温度低、时间短，不仅棕榈油不会被“炸坏”，而且方便面中的营养成分损失也比较 少 。
Discover how a simple letter from a cookie seller led to an unexpected friendship with a famous scholar. This heartwarming story explores kindness and connection across social divides.
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胡之适接过饼干，微笑着拿起一个便吃，脸上现出近几年来 很少见的 欢愉。
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他们 一老一少 ，谈得很高兴。
Before you read, think about the questions you ask every day. This simple poem shows you how to ask age, price, time, and more in friendly Chinese.
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买东西， 多少 钱？
Read about a work trip to Beijing where a group of colleagues takes a very large airplane. Practice weather words and actions in a simple travel story.
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我们有些人穿的衣服 很少 。
This humorous dialogue follows a man who spends all his savings on his girlfriend's Apple phone and a lucky number, leaving him broke. A fun read for HSK 3 learners.
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A：哎，你最近怎么 很少 来体育场锻炼啊？
Ever wondered where old Beijing's tea-drinking culture has gone? Follow a visitor discovering why locals now avoid famous tea houses—and practice expressing surprise and comparisons in Chinese along the way.
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现在去那儿的都是外地的， 很少 老北京。
Is four years to reach HSK 5 fast or slow? Follow a conversation between two learners as they compare study hours and share realistic strategies for busy adults.
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人太多，我 很少 真的说汉语，所以这个“汉语课”很没意思。
Meet Xiao Shang, who is heading back to Shanghai. She compares two ways to travel and tells us why she prefers the slower one. This story helps you practice comparing transportation in simple Chinese.
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从北京到上海坐飞机，不到两个小时，但是要坐火车，就要 最少 五个多小时。
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