少
少 (shǎo) means “few”. It is made of 小 + 丿 and has 4 strokes, and is an HSK 1 word.
Break 少 into its parts
What 少 is made of
- 小 xiǎo — small
- 亅 — hook
- 八 bā — eight
- 丿 — falling stroke
Origin hint: Grains of sand; 小 provides the pronunciation and meaning (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
今天车上人很少。Jīntiān chēshàng rén hěn shǎo.There are very few people on the bus today.
你吃得太少了。Nǐ chī de tài shǎo le.You eat too little.
Words with 少
Also built with 小
Quick facts
| Pinyin | shǎo |
|---|---|
| Meaning | few; little |
| Strokes | 4 |
| Radical | 小 (small, #42) |
| Pattern | Top–bottom |
| HSK | HSK 3.0 · Level 1 · HSK 2.0 · Level 1 |
Questions about 少
What does 少 mean?
少 (shǎo) means “few; little”.
How many strokes does 少 have?
少 has 4 strokes.
What is the radical of 少?
The radical of 少 is 小 (xiǎo, “small”), Kangxi radical number 42.
What parts make up 少?
少 is made of 小 (small) and 丿 (falling stroke).
Which HSK level is 少?
少 is in HSK 3.0 · Level 1 and HSK 2.0 · Level 1.
Learn 少 with its group
It is part of HSK 1 · Group 29: 10 words with quick checks and spaced repeats.