小
小 - Translingual
Han character
小 (Kangxi radical 42, 小+0, 3 strokes, cangjie input 弓金 (NC), four-corner 90000, composition ⿻亅八)
- Kangxi radical #42, ⼩.
- Shuowen Jiezi radical №15
Derived characters
小 - Chinese
simp. and trad. | 小 | |
---|---|---|
alternative forms | 𡮐 ancient |
Glyph origin
Historical forms of the character 小 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Shang | Western Zhou | Warring States | Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) | Liushutong (compiled in Ming) |
Oracle bone script | Bronze inscriptions | Qin slip script | Small seal script | Transcribed ancient scripts |
Two possible interpretations:
- Ideogram (指事) – three small dots > small.
- Pictogram (象形) – three granules of sand – original character of 沙 (OC *sraːl, *sraːls) > small.
Starting from some bronze inscriptions, the dots have become elongated. Based on this form, Shuowen erroneously considers it to be an ideogrammic compound (會意) : 八 (“to divide; to separate”) + 丨 (“small object”).
Compare with 少 (OC *hmjewʔ, *hmjews), represented by four dots in its oracle bone script form.
Pronunciation
- Mandarin
- Cantonese
- (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): siu2
- (Taishan, Wiktionary): lhiau2
- Gan (Wiktionary): xieu3
- Hakka
- (Sixian, PFS): séu
- (Meixian, Guangdong): xiau3
- Jin (Wiktionary): xiau2
- Min Bei (KCR): siǎu
- Min Dong (BUC): siēu
- Min Nan
- (Hokkien, POJ): sió / siáu
- (Teochew, Peng'im): siê2 / sio2 / siao2 / siou2
- Wu (Wiktionary): 2xiau
- Xiang (Wiktionary): siau3
- Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)+
- Hanyu Pinyin: xiǎo
- Zhuyin: ㄒㄧㄠˇ
- Tongyong Pinyin: siǎo
- Wade–Giles: hsiao3
- Yale: syǎu
- Gwoyeu Romatzyh: sheau
- Palladius: сяо (sjao)
- Sinological IPA : /ɕjɑʊ̯²¹⁴/
- (Chengdu)
- Sichuanese Pinyin: xiao3
- Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: xiao
- Sinological IPA : /ɕiau⁵³/
- (Dungan)
- Cyrillic and Wiktionary: щё (xi͡o, II)
- Sinological IPA : /ɕiɔː⁵¹/
- (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
- (Standard Chinese)+
- Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
- Jyutping: siu2
- Yale: síu
- Cantonese Pinyin: siu2
- Guangdong Romanization: xiu2
- Sinological IPA : /siːu̯³⁵/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
- Wiktionary: lhiau2
- Sinological IPA : /ɬiau⁵⁵/
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
- Gan
- (Nanchang)
- Wiktionary: xieu3
- Sinological IPA : /ɕiɛu²¹³/
- (Nanchang)
- Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
- Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: séu
- Hakka Romanization System: seu`
- Hagfa Pinyim: seu3
- Sinological IPA: /seu̯³¹/
- (Meixian)
- Guangdong: xiau3
- Sinological IPA: /ɕiau³¹/
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
- Jin
- (Taiyuan)+
- Wiktionary: xiau2
- Sinological IPA (old-style): /ɕiau⁵³/
- (Taiyuan)+
- Min Bei
- (Jian'ou)
- Kienning Colloquial Romanized: siǎu
- Sinological IPA : /siau²¹/
- (Jian'ou)
- Min Dong
- (Fuzhou)
- Bàng-uâ-cê: siēu
- Sinological IPA : /sieu³³/
- (Fuzhou)
- Min Nan
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, General Taiwanese)
- Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sió
- Tâi-lô: sió
- Phofsit Daibuun: sioir
- IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang): /ɕio⁵⁵⁴/
- IPA (Kaohsiung): /ɕiɤ⁴¹/
- IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei): /ɕio⁵³/
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, General Taiwanese)
- Pe̍h-ōe-jī: siáu
- Tâi-lô: siáu
- Phofsit Daibuun: siao
- IPA (Kaohsiung): /ɕiau⁴¹/
- IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang): /ɕiau⁵⁵⁴/
- IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei): /ɕiau⁵³/
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, General Taiwanese)
- sió - vernacular;
- siáu - literary.
- (Teochew)
- Peng'im: siê2 / sio2 / siao2 / siou2
- Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: sié / sió / siáu / sióu
- Sinological IPA : /sie⁵²/, /sio⁵²/, /siau⁵²/, /siou⁵²/
- (Teochew)
- siê2/sio2 - vernacular;
- siao2/siou2 - literary.
- Wu
- (Shanghainese)
- Wiktionary: 2xiau
- Sinological IPA : /ɕiɔ³⁴/
- (Shanghainese)
- Xiang
- (Changsha)
- Wiktionary: siau3
- Sinological IPA (old-style): /siɒu⁴¹/
- Sinological IPA (new-style): /ɕiɒu⁴¹/
- (Changsha)
- Middle Chinese: /siᴇuX/
Rime | |
---|---|
Character | 小 |
Reading # | 1/1 |
Initial (聲) | 心 (16) |
Final (韻) | 宵 (91) |
Tone (調) | Rising (X) |
Openness (開合) | Open |
Division (等) | III |
Fanqie | 私兆切 |
Reconstructions | |
ZhengzhangShangfang | /siᴇuX/ |
PanWuyun | /siɛuX/ |
ShaoRongfen | /sjæuX/ |
EdwinPulleyblank | /siawX/ |
LiRong | /siɛuX/ |
WangLi | /sĭɛuX/ |
BernardKarlgren | /si̯ɛuX/ |
Expected Mandarin Reflex | xiǎo |
Expected Cantonese Reflex | siu2 |
- Old Chinese
- (Baxter–Sagart): /*[s]ewʔ/
- (Zhengzhang): /*smewʔ/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) | |
---|---|
Character | 小 |
Reading # | 1/1 |
Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | xiǎo |
Middle Chinese | ‹ sjewX › |
Old Chinese | /*[s]ewʔ/ |
English | small |
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary. |
Zhengzhang system (2003) | |
---|---|
Character | 小 |
Reading # | 1/1 |
No. | 13705 |
Phonetic component | 小 |
Rime group | 宵 |
Rime subdivision | 2 |
Corresponding MC rime | 小 |
Old Chinese | /*smewʔ/ |
Notes | 甲金文象沙而指小, 指事字 |
Definitions
小
- small, tiny, little
- minor, petty
- briefly, for a short while
- 小憩 ― xiǎoqì ― brief rest
- slightly, a little
- young
- (the) youngest
- a young person; child, kid, baby
- 一家老小 ― yījiālǎoxiǎo ― the entire family, old and young
- Prefix used in front of family name to indicate informality or affection (for young people, 老 (lǎo) for elder people).
- For example, Someone called 李國寶/李国宝 can be called 小李.
- (humble) my, our
- Short for 小學/小学 (xiǎoxué, “primary school”).
- (dialectal) concubine
Synonyms
Variety | Location | Words edit |
---|---|---|
Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 小 | |
Mandarin | Beijing | 小 |
Taiwan | 小 | |
Tianjin | 小 | |
Harbin | 小 | |
Jinan | 小 | |
Wanrong | 小 | |
Xi'an | 小, 碎 | |
Yinchuan | 小 | |
Xining | 小, 尕 | |
Ürümqi | 小, 尕 | |
Wuhan | 小 | |
Chengdu | 小 | |
Guiyang | 小 | |
Guilin | 小 | |
Liuzhou | 小 | |
Yangzhou | 小 | |
Nanjing | 小 | |
Hefei | 小 | |
Malaysia | 小 | |
Singapore | 小 | |
Cantonese | Guangzhou | 細 |
Hong Kong | 細 | |
Hong Kong (San Tin Weitou) | 細 | |
Hong Kong (Kam Tin Weitou) | 細 | |
Hong Kong (Ting Kok) | 細 | |
Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau) | 細 | |
Macau | 細 | |
Guangzhou (Panyu) | 細 | |
Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu) | 細 | |
Guangzhou (Conghua) | 細 | |
Guangzhou (Zengcheng) | 細 | |
Foshan | 細 | |
Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai) | 細 | |
Foshan (Shunde) | 細 | |
Foshan (Sanshui) | 細 | |
Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming) | 細 | |
Zhongshan (Shiqi) | 細 | |
Zhuhai (Qianshan) | 細 | |
Zhuhai (Doumen, Shangheng Tanka) | 細 | |
Zhuhai (Doumen) | 細 | |
Jiangmen (Baisha) | 細 | |
Jiangmen (Xinhui) | 細 | |
Taishan | 細 | |
Kaiping (Chikan) | 細 | |
Enping (Niujiang) | 細 | |
Heshan (Yayao) | 細 | |
Dongguan | 細 | |
Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an) | 細 | |
Qingyuan | 細 | |
Fogang | 細 | |
Yingde (Hanguang) | 細 | |
Yangshan | 細 | |
Lianzhou (Qingshui Sihui) | 細 | |
Shaoguan | 細 | |
Shaoguan (Qujiang) | 細 | |
Renhua | 細 | |
Lechang | 細 | |
Zhaoqing (Gaoyao) | 細 | |
Sihui | 細 | |
Guangning | 細 | |
Deqing | 細 | |
Huaiji | 細 | |
Yunfu | 細 | |
Xinxing | 細 | |
Luoding | 細 | |
Yunan (Pingtai) | 細 | |
Yangjiang | 細 | |
Xinyi | 細 | |
Maoming (Xinpo) | 細 | |
Lianjiang | 細 | |
Nanning | 細 | |
Wuzhou | 細, 𱒃 | |
Yulin | 𱒃 | |
Hepu (Lianzhou) | 𱒃 | |
Hepu (Shatian) | 𱒃 | |
Guiping | 細, 小 | |
Guiping (Mule) | 𱒃 | |
Pingnan | 細 | |
Mengshan (Xihe) | 細 | |
Guigang (Gangcheng) | 細 | |
Guigang (Nanjiang) | 細 | |
Guigang (Pingdong) | 細 | |
Beiliu (Tangliao) | 細 | |
Baise | 細 | |
Bobai | 細 | |
Lingshan | 細 | |
Pubei | 細 | |
Qinzhou | 細 | |
Beihai | 細 | |
Beihai (Nankang) | 細 | |
Beihai (Yingpan) | 𱒃 | |
Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô) | 細 | |
Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà) | 細, 小 | |
Ningming | 細 | |
Hengzhou | 細 | |
Fangchenggang (Fangcheng) | 細 | |
Danzhou | 細 | |
Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) | 細 | |
Singapore (Guangfu) | 細 | |
Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu) | 細 | |
Móng Cái | 細 | |
Gan | Nanchang | 細, 小 |
Lichuan | 細, 小 | |
Pingxiang | 細, 小 | |
Hakka | Meixian | 細, 小 |
Xingning | 細 | |
Huizhou (Huicheng Bendihua) | 細 | |
Huiyang | 細 | |
Huidong (Daling) | 細 | |
Dongguan (Qingxi) | 細 | |
Boluo (Bendihua) | 細 | |
Shenzhen (Shatoujiao) | 細 | |
Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui) | 小 | |
Heyuan (Bendihua) | 細 | |
Longchuan (Tuocheng Bendihua) | 細 | |
Heping (Linzhai Bendihua) | 細 | |
Lianping (Longjie Bendihua) | 細 | |
Shaoguan (Qujiang) | 細 | |
Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang) | 細 | |
Conghua (Lütian) | 細 | |
Jiexi | 細 | |
Changting | 細 | |
Wuping | 細 | |
Wuping (Pingyu) | 細 | |
Liancheng | 細 | |
Ninghua | 小 | |
Yudu | 細 | |
Ruijin | 細 | |
Shicheng | 細 | |
Shangyou (Shexi) | 細 | |
Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 細 | |
Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 細 | |
Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 細 | |
Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 細 | |
Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 細 | |
Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 細 | |
Hong Kong | 細 | |
Beiliu (Tang'an) | 小 | |
Mashan (Pianlian) | 細 | |
Senai (Huiyang) | 細 | |
Huizhou | Jixi | 小 |
Jin | Taiyuan | 小 |
Min Bei | Jian'ou | 小 |
Min Dong | Fuzhou | 嫩, 細 |
Changle | 嫩 | |
Fuqing | 嫩 | |
Yongtai | 嫩 | |
Gutian | 嫩 | |
Fu'an | 嫩 | |
Ningde | 嫩 | |
Shouning | 嫩 | |
Zhouning | 細 | |
Fuding | 嫩, 細 | |
Matsu | 嫩 | |
Min Nan | Xiamen | 細 |
Xiamen (Tong'an) | 細 | |
Quanzhou | 細 | |
Jinjiang | 細 | |
Nan'an | 細 | |
Hui'an | 細 | |
Anxi | 細 | |
Yongchun | 細 | |
Dehua | 細 | |
Zhangzhou | 細 | |
Zhangzhou (Longhai) | 細 | |
Zhangzhou (Changtai) | 細 | |
Hua'an | 細 | |
Nanjing | 細 | |
Pinghe | 細 | |
Zhangpu | 細 | |
Yunxiao | 細 | |
Zhao'an | 細 | |
Dongshan | 細 | |
Taipei | 小, 細 | |
New Taipei (Sanxia) | 小, 細 | |
Kaohsiung | 小, 細 | |
Yilan | 小, 細 | |
Changhua (Lukang) | 小, 細 | |
Taichung | 小, 細 | |
Tainan | 小, 細 | |
Hsinchu | 小, 細 | |
Kinmen | 小 | |
Penghu (Magong) | 小 | |
Penang (Hokkien) | 細 | |
Singapore (Hokkien) | 細 | |
Manila (Hokkien) | 細 | |
Zhangping (Yongfu) | 細 | |
Pingnan (Shangdu) | 小 | |
Chaozhou | 細 | |
Shantou | 細 | |
Shantou (Chenghai) | 細 | |
Shantou (Chaoyang) | 細 | |
Jieyang | 細 | |
Haifeng | 細 | |
Bangkok (Teochew) | 細 | |
Johor Bahru (Teochew) | 細 | |
Singapore (Teochew) | 細 | |
Batam (Teochew) | 細 | |
Pontianak (Teochew) | 細 | |
Leizhou | 細 | |
Wenchang | 細, 孧 | |
Haikou | 細, 孧 | |
Qionghai | 孧 | |
Singapore (Hainanese) | 孧, 細 | |
Puxian Min | Putian | 細 |
Xianyou | 細 | |
Southern Pinghua | Nanning (Tingzi) | 細 |
Nanning (Shajing) | 細 | |
Binyang (Xinqiao) | 細 | |
Northern Pinghua | Guilin (Chaoyang) | 細 |
Guilin (Zhuyuan) | 細 | |
Lingchuan (Tanxia) | 細 | |
Wu | Shanghai | 小 |
Shanghai (Chongming) | 小 | |
Suzhou | 小 | |
Danyang | 小 | |
Hangzhou | 小 | |
Ningbo | 小 | |
Wenzhou | 小, 瑣 | |
Jinhua | 小 | |
Xiang | Changsha | 細, 小 |
Loudi | 小 | |
Shuangfeng | 細 | |
Quanzhou | 小 | |
Guanyang (Wenshi) | 小 |
Variety | Location | Words edit |
---|---|---|
Classical Chinese | 妾, 姬, 媵, 妾媵, 媵妾, 侍妾, 姬妾, 側室, 偏室, 姑娘 | |
Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 妾, 偏房 | |
Mandarin | Beijing | 小太太兒, 小婆婆兒, 小奶奶兒, 小的兒 |
Taiwan | 小老婆, 姨太太 | |
Harbin | 小老婆 | |
Yantai (Muping) | 小老婆兒, 小婆子 | |
Jinan | 小老婆 | |
Luoyang | 小老婆兒 | |
Wanrong | 小婆子 | |
Xi'an | 小婆子, 小 | |
Yinchuan | 小老婆, 小 | |
Lanzhou | 小老婆 | |
Ürümqi | 小老婆 | |
Wuhan | 小堂客, 小, 姨太太 | |
Chengdu | 小老婆, 小婆子 | |
Guiyang | 小婆娘, 姨太太 | |
Liuzhou | 小的, 小, 小老婆, 小婆 | |
Xuzhou | 小的兒, 小的, 小兒, 小點子, 小婆兒, 小婆子, 庶夫人 | |
Nanjing | 小老婆 | |
Singapore | 小老婆 | |
Cantonese | Guangzhou | 細婆, 妾侍 |
Hong Kong | 細婆, 妾侍 | |
Dongguan | 細婆 | |
Gan | Nanchang | 小老婆, 小 |
Lichuan | 小婆 | |
Pingxiang | 小老婆, 小婆子 | |
Hakka | Meixian | 小婆 |
Yudu | 小老婆 | |
Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 細姐, 細婆, 偏房 | |
Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 細姐仔, 細婆, 偏房 | |
Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 細姐, 細婆, 偏房 | |
Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 細姐, 細姨, 偏房 | |
Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 細姐, 細婆, 偏房 | |
Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 細姨, 偏房 | |
Huizhou | Jixi | 細老嫗 |
Jin | Taiyuan | 小老婆, 姨娘, 姨太太 |
Xinzhou | 小婆子 | |
Min Bei | Jian'ou | 小嬤 |
Min Dong | Fuzhou | 細婆, 細姐 |
Min Nan | Xiamen | 細姨 |
Quanzhou | 細姨 | |
Zhangzhou | 細姨 | |
Taipei | 細姨 | |
New Taipei (Sanxia) | 細姨 | |
Kaohsiung | 細姨 | |
Yilan | 細姨 | |
Changhua (Lukang) | 細姨 | |
Taichung | 細姨 | |
Tainan | 細姨 | |
Hsinchu | 細姨 | |
Kinmen | 細姨 | |
Penghu (Magong) | 細姨 | |
Leizhou | 細娘 | |
Haikou | 細姩, 細老婆, 孧老婆, 細 | |
Southern Pinghua | Nanning (Tingzi) | 細婆 |
Wu | Shanghai | 小老媽, 小老婆, 小娘子, 偏房 |
Shanghai (Chongming) | 小老婆, 小老官, 姨太太 | |
Suzhou | 小老媽 | |
Danyang | 小老媽 | |
Hangzhou | 小老婆 | |
Ningbo | 小老𡢿 | |
Wenzhou | 姨娘, 姨娘兒 | |
Jinhua | 小老婆, 小婆 | |
Xiang | Changsha | 小婆子, 小堂客 |
Loudi | 小 |
Compounds
|
|
|
Descendants
Pronunciation
- Cantonese (Jyutping): siu2
- Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
- Jyutping: siu2
- Yale: síu
- Cantonese Pinyin: siu2
- Guangdong Romanization: xiu2
- Sinological IPA : /siːu̯³⁵/
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
Definitions
小
Pronunciation
- Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)+
- Hanyu Pinyin: xiǎo
- Zhuyin: ㄒㄧㄠˇ
- Tongyong Pinyin: siǎo
- Wade–Giles: hsiao3
- Yale: syǎu
- Gwoyeu Romatzyh: sheau
- Palladius: сяо (sjao)
- Sinological IPA : /ɕjɑʊ̯²¹⁴/
- (Standard Chinese)+
- Min Nan
- (Hokkien)
- Pe̍h-ōe-jī: siâu
- Tâi-lô: siâu
- Phofsit Daibuun: siaau
- IPA (Xiamen): /ɕiau²⁴/
- IPA (Quanzhou): /ɕiau²⁴/
- IPA (Zhangzhou): /ɕiau¹³/
- IPA (Taipei): /ɕiau²⁴/
- IPA (Kaohsiung): /ɕiau²³/
- (Hokkien)
Definitions
小
小 - Japanese
Kanji
(grade 1 “Kyōiku” kanji)
Readings
- Go-on: しょう (shō, Jōyō)←せう (seu, historical)
- Kan-on: しょう (shō, Jōyō)←せう (seu, historical)
- Kun: ちいさい (chīsai, 小さい, Jōyō)←ちひさい (tifisai, 小さい, historical); こ (ko, 小, Jōyō); お (o, 小, Jōyō)←を (wo, 小, historical); さ (sa, 小)
- Nanori: いさら (isara); こう (kō); ささ (sasa); さざ (saza); ちいさ (chīsa)←ちひさ (tifisa, historical)
Compounds
- 小陰唇 (shōinshin, “labia minora”)
- 小国 (shōkoku, “small nation”)
- 小説 (shōsetsu, “novel”)
- 小前庭腺 (shōzen teisen, “Skene's gland”)
- 小額 (shōgaku, “small sum”)
- 小アジア (Shō-Ajia, “Asia Minor”)
- 小規模 (shōkibo, “small-scale”)
- 小東京 (Shō-Tōkyō, “mini Tokyo”)
- 小数 (shōsū, “decimal”)
- 小差 (shōsa, “slight difference”)
- 小冊子 (shōsasshi, “pamphlet”)
- 小児 (shōni, “infant”)
- 小銃 (shōjū, “rifle”)
- 小人 (shōnin, “child”)
- 小選挙区 (shō-senkyoku, “small electoral district”)
- 小品 (shōhin, “essay”)
- 小量 (shōryō, “small dose”)
- 小惑星 (shōwakusei, “asteroid”)
- 大小 (daishō, “size”)
- 縮小 (shukushō, “reduction”)
- 中小 (chūshō, “small to medium”)
- 最小 (saishō, “minimum”)
- 小事 (shōji, “trifle”)
- 小学 (shōgaku, “elementary school”)
- 小康 (shōkō, “lull”)
- 小便 (shōben, “urine”)
- 過小評価 (kashō-hyōka, “underestimation”)
- 小一 (shōichi, “first-year elementary student”)
- 同小 (dōshō, “said elementary school”)
- 小豆 (azuki, “adzuki bean”)
- 小火 (boya, “small fire”)
- 袋小路 (fukurokōji, “blind alley”)
Pronunciation
- (Tokyo) しょー [shóꜜò] (Atamadaka – [1])
- IPA: [ɕo̞ː]
Noun
- smallness; small size, small (sometimes used as an abbreviation for small serving, etc.)
- Short for 小の月 (shō no tsuki).
- (historical) during the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, a unit of field area equal to around 400 square metres
- 100 square footsteps before the Taikō land survey, and 120 square footsteps after
Antonyms
Derived terms
- 小の月 (shō no tsuki, month with 30 days or less)
Idioms
- 大(だい)は小(しょう)を兼(か)ねる (dai wa shō o kaneru, “The greater serves the lesser.”)
Coordinate terms
Prefix
Suffix
- suffix after names of elementary schools
- 佃小
- tsukuda-shō
- Tsukuda Elementary School
- 佃小
Proper noun
- a surname
Prefix
小 • (ko-)
- less in size or quantity, small, little, short
- less in intensity, small, light, slight
- of secondary importance, secondary, sub-
- infant
Derived terms
- 小石 (koishi, “pebble”)
- 小牛 (koushi, “calf”)
- 小唄 (kouta, “ballad”)
- 小売 (kouri, “retail”)
- 小枝 (koeda, “twig”)
- 小型 (kogata, “tiny”)
- 小刀 (kogatana, “small knife”)
- 小刻み (kokizami, “bit by bit”)
- 小切手 (kogitte, “check”)
- 小口 (koguchi, “small amount”)
- 小声 (kogoe, “whisper”)
- 小言 (kogoto, “scolding”)
- 小さじ (kosaji, “teaspoon”)
- 小雨 (kosame, “drizzle”)
- 小皿 (kozara, “small dish”)
- 小島 (kojima, “islet”)
- 小柄 (kozuka, “small build”)
- 小銭 (kozeni, “small change”)
- 小僧 (kozō, “youngster”)
- 小遣い (kozukai, “spending money”)
- 小包 (kozutsumi, “parcel”)
- 小(こ)手(て)先(さき) (kotesaki, “superficial cleverness”)
- 小道具 (kodōgu, “stage props”)
- 小鳥 (kotori, “little bird”)
- 小幅 (kohaba, “small cloth; narrow range”)
- 小羊 (kohitsuji, “lamb”)
- 小舟 (kobune, “boat”)
- 小麦 (komugi, “wheat”)
- 小結 (komusubi, rank of sumo wrestler)
- 小文字 (komoji, “lowercase letter”)
- 小物 (komono, “gadget”)
- 小屋 (koya, “cabin”)
- 小山 (koyama, “hill”)
- 小雪 (koyuki, “light snowfall”)
- 小指 (koyubi, “little finger”)
Related terms
Prefix
- attached to certain nouns:
- used proverbially to represent "small" or "slight"
- 小止みなく降る雨 (oyaminaku furu ame)
- 小暗い道 (ogurai michi)
Derived terms
Alternative forms
- 細, 些些
Prefix
小 or 小 • (sasa- or saza-)
Derived terms
- 栄螺 (sazae, “turban shell”)
- 漣 (sazanami, “ripple”)
小 - Korean
Pronunciation
- (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA: [sʰo̞(ː)]
- Phonetic hangul: [소(ː)]
- Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.
Hanja
Compounds
小 - Vietnamese
Han character
小: Hán Việt readings: tiểu 小: Nôm readings: tiểu, tẻo, tĩu