小 (xiǎo) — Meaning & How to Use in Chinese | Speak1000 | Speak1000
动态与变化 · Motion & Aspect

xiǎo

small / little / young

小 (xiǎo) means "small / little / young" in Chinese and is one of the highest-frequency words in the Speak1000 curriculum.

Words used with

to compare

有点儿

yǒudiǎnr

a little bit

但是

dànshì

but

小时候

xiǎoshíhou

in childhood

小心

xiǎoxīn

to be careful

māo

cat

gǒu

dog

弟弟

dìdi

younger brother

饭店

fàndiàn

restaurant

地方

dìfang

place

suì

year (of age)

huá

slippery

Frequently asked questions

What does 小 (xiǎo) mean in Chinese?

小 (xiǎo) means "small / little / young" in Chinese. 小 (xiǎo) means "small / little / young" in Chinese and is one of the highest-frequency words in the Speak1000 curriculum.

How do you use 小 in a sentence?

Use 小 (xiǎo) the way you would use "small / little / young" in English, then build longer sentences by adding words you already know around it.

What words are commonly used with 小?

Common words that pair with 小 include 比, 有点儿, 但是, 小时候, 小心. Learning these together helps you build complete, natural sentences instead of isolated vocabulary.

What is the difference between 小 (xiǎo) and 出 (chū)?

Both are high-frequency Chinese words taught early in Speak1000. 小 means "small / little / young"; 出 means "out / to exit / to produce / to appear". The fastest way to tell them apart is to hear each one used in real sentences — our free lessons drill every word in context so the contrast becomes natural.

Related Chinese concepts

Hear used in real sentences

The fastest way to remember (xiǎo) is to hear it used naturally. Start free and practice with audio from day one.

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