shǎo / shào: 少 - Few, Little, Less / Young

• Keywords: shao, shǎo, shào, 少, few, little, less, young, Chinese character for less, how to say young in Chinese, duoshao, nianshao, hsk1 character, Chinese antonyms
• Summary: Discover the dual nature of the essential Chinese character 少. Primarily pronounced shǎo, it means “few,” “little,” or “less,” forming the basis for questions like “how many?” (多少 duōshao). However, with a tone change to shào, it takes on the meaning of “young,” appearing in words like “youth” (少年 shàonián). This page will break down both uses, clarify common confusion with “small” (小 xiǎo), and provide practical examples to help you master this fundamental HSK 1 character.

The character 少 is a classic example of a character with two different pronunciations that unlock completely different meanings. It's crucial to learn both to understand its full range.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shǎo
• Part of Speech: Adjective, Adverb
• HSK Level: HSK 1
• Concise Definition: To be few in number or small in quantity; less.
• In a Nutshell: This is the most common use of 少. It is the direct opposite of 多 (duō), “many” or “much”. Think of it as describing a countable number of items (“few people”) or an uncountable amount (“little water”). It’s a core building block for making comparisons and asking about quantity.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shào
• Part of Speech: Adjective
• HSK Level: HSK 4 (as part of words like 年少)
• Concise Definition: To be young in age.
• In a Nutshell: This pronunciation is less frequent in daily conversation but common in written language and set phrases. It carries a slightly more formal or literary tone than the everyday word for “young,” 年轻 (niánqīng). You'll most often see it in words that describe young people, like `少女` (shàonǚ, young girl) or `少年` (shàonián, young boy).

• 少: The character is a combination of 小 (xiǎo), meaning “small,” and a single stroke (丿). You can think of it as “a little bit” (represented by the dot/stroke) being taken away from something, resulting in “less” or “few”. This visual mnemonic helps distinguish it from its opposite, 多 (duō), which is made of two夕 (xī) components stacked, implying “many” or a doubling.

The concept of “less” (shǎo) is subtly woven into Chinese cultural values, particularly those related to humility and pragmatism. There's a well-known proverb, 少说多做 (shǎo shuō duō zuò), which translates to “talk less, do more.” This encapsulates a cultural preference for action over empty words and for modesty over boastfulness. In a Western context, especially in business, one is often encouraged to “sell yourself” and be vocally confident. In contrast, traditional Chinese values often prize the person who demonstrates their worth through quiet, consistent effort, believing that results speak for themselves. Using “less” talk can be a sign of wisdom and substance. Furthermore, the `shào` (young) pronunciation ties into the Confucian value system of age hierarchy. While youth is celebrated, the `年少 (niánshào)` or “young ones” have a defined role of respecting and learning from their elders. This creates a cultural dynamic different from the Western emphasis on youth-driven disruption, highlighting a balance between youthful energy and the wisdom of experience.

This is extremely common in everyday life.

• Asking “How much/many?”: The word 多少 (duōshao) is one of the first question words you'll learn. It literally means “many-few?” and is used to ask about quantity or price.
• Making Comparisons: It's used with `比 (bǐ)` to say something is less than something else. E.g., `苹果比西瓜少 (píngguǒ bǐ xīguā shǎo)` - “There are fewer apples than watermelons.”
• In the Kitchen: When ordering food or cooking, you can make requests like `少放盐 (shǎo fàng yán)` - “Use less salt” or `少放辣 (shǎo fàng là)` - “Make it less spicy.”
• Expressing Dissatisfaction: You might hear someone complain, `工资太少了! (gōngzī tài shǎo le!)` - “The salary is too little!”

This usage is more specific and often appears in fixed words.

• In Nouns: It's used to form words for young people, such as 少年 (shàonián) for a young man/youth and 少女 (shàonǚ) for a young woman/girl. These terms are common in book titles, movies, and formal descriptions.
• In Formal/Literary Contexts: The phrase 年少 (niánshào) means “in one's youth” or “when one was young.” It sounds more nostalgic or literary than the common word `年轻 (niánqīng)`.

• Example 1: (Pronunciation: shǎo)
  • 这里的人很少。
  • Pinyin: Zhèlǐ de rén hěn shǎo.
  • English: There are very few people here.
  • Analysis: A simple descriptive sentence using `很 (hěn)` + `少 (shǎo)` to state that the quantity of people is low. This is a fundamental structure.
• Example 2: (Pronunciation: shǎo)
  • A: 这个杯子多少钱？ B: 二十块。
  • Pinyin: A: Zhège bēizi duōshao qián? B: Èrshí kuài.
  • English: A: How much is this cup? B: Twenty kuai.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates the essential question word `多少 (duōshao)`, literally “many-few?”, used to ask for a price or number.
• Example 3: (Pronunciation: shǎo)
  • 我的中文词汇量还很少。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ de Zhōngwén cíhuìliàng hái hěn shǎo.
  • English: My Chinese vocabulary is still very small (literally: very little).
  • Analysis: Here, `少 (shǎo)` is used to describe an abstract quantity (vocabulary amount), not just physical objects.
• Example 4: (Pronunciation: shǎo)
  • 为了健康，你应该少吃快餐。
  • Pinyin: Wèile jiànkāng, nǐ yīnggāi shǎo chī kuàicān.
  • English: For your health, you should eat less fast food.
  • Analysis: `少 (shǎo)` is used as an adverb before the verb `吃 (chī)` to mean “do the action less.” This is a very common way to give advice.
• Example 5: (Pronunciation: shǎo)
  • 我们还少一把椅子，你去拿一把吧。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen hái shǎo yī bǎ yǐzi, nǐ qù ná yī bǎ ba.
  • English: We are still short one chair, go and get one.
  • Analysis: Shows a different usage of `少 (shǎo)` to mean “to be short of” or “to lack.”
• Example 6: (Pronunciation: shǎo)
  • 今天的作业比昨天少多了。
  • Pinyin: Jīntiān de zuòyè bǐ zuótiān shǎo duō le.
  • English: Today's homework is much less than yesterday's.
  • Analysis: This is a comparison sentence using `比 (bǐ)`. The phrase `多了 (duō le)` at the end emphasizes that the difference is large (“much less”).
• Example 7: (Pronunciation: shào)
  • 他年少的时候，梦想是成为一名宇航员。
  • Pinyin: Tā niánshào de shíhou, mèngxiǎng shì chéngwéi yī míng yǔhángyuán.
  • English: When he was young, his dream was to become an astronaut.
  • Analysis: A perfect example of the literary `年少 (niánshào)` used to refer to a past period of youth. Note the `shào` pronunciation.
• Example 8: (Pronunciation: shào)
  • 这部电影讲述了一个少女的成长故事。
  • Pinyin: Zhè bù diànyǐng jiǎngshùle yī個 shàonǚ de chéngzhǎng gùshì.
  • English: This movie tells the coming-of-age story of a young girl.
  • Analysis: `少女 (shàonǚ)` is a specific noun for “young girl,” often used in formal or narrative contexts.
• Example 9: (Pronunciation: shào)
  • 那个热爱运动的少年是谁？
  • Pinyin: Nàge rè'ài yùndòng de shàonián shì shéi?
  • English: Who is that young man who loves sports?
  • Analysis: `少年 (shàonián)` is the male equivalent of `少女 (shàonǚ)`, referring to a youth or adolescent boy.
• Example 10: (Pronunciation: both)
  • 这个游乐园老少皆宜。
  • Pinyin: Zhège yóulèyuán lǎo shào jiē yí.
  • English: This amusement park is suitable for all ages (literally: for the old and young).
  • Analysis: A fantastic example of an idiom, `老少皆宜 (lǎoshàojiēyí)`, which uses `少 (shào)` in its “young” meaning. It elegantly combines both ends of the age spectrum.

1. Pronunciation is Key: The most critical mistake is mixing up the pronunciations.

• Incorrect: Asking for a price as `duōshào`.
• Correct: It's always `duōshǎo` (how much/many). The `shào` pronunciation is only for “young.”

2. 少 (shǎo) vs. 小 (xiǎo): Quantity vs. Size

  This is a classic beginner trap. They both translate to "little" or "small" in English, but they are not interchangeable in Chinese.
  *   **少 (shǎo)** refers to **quantity** or **amount**. It answers "How many?" or "How much?".
  *   **小 (xiǎo)** refers to physical **size**, **age** (in a different sense), or **scale**. It answers "How big?".
  *   **Example:** `人很少 (rén hěn shǎo)` - There are **few** people. (Correct - describes quantity)
  *   **Example:** `人很小 (rén hěn xiǎo)` - The person is **small**. (Correct - describes physical size)
  *   **Incorrect Usage:** To say "this apple is small," you cannot say `这个苹果很少`. You must say `这个苹果很小 (zhège píngguǒ hěn xiǎo)`.

3. Using `shào` in Conversation: While you need to recognize words like `少年` and `少女`, avoid using `shào` as a standalone adjective in conversation. To say “He is very young,” the natural, everyday phrase is `他很年轻 (tā hěn niánqīng)`, not `他很年少`.

• 多 (duō) - The direct antonym of `shǎo`. It means “many,” “much,” or “more.”
• 小 (xiǎo) - A “false friend.” Means “small” in size, not “few” in quantity. It is the antonym of `大 (dà)`.
• 多少 (duōshao) - The fundamental question word for “how much” or “how many.”
• 年轻 (niánqīng) - The common, conversational word for “young,” used much more frequently than the `shào` pronunciation in daily speech.
• 少年 (shàonián) - A noun using the `shào` pronunciation, meaning “youth,” “juvenile,” or “young boy.”
• 少女 (shàonǚ) - A noun using the `shào` pronunciation, meaning “maiden” or “young girl.”
• 至少 (zhìshǎo) - A crucial adverb meaning “at least.” (e.g., You need to study at least one hour.)
• 减少 (jiǎnshǎo) - A verb meaning “to reduce,” “to decrease,” or “to lessen.”
• 少数 (shǎoshù) - A noun meaning “minority” or “a small number.” The opposite is `多数 (duōshù)`, “majority.”