小 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 小
比
bǐ
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
猫
māo
cat
狗
gǒu
dog
弟弟
dìdi
younger brother
饭店
fàndiàn
restaurant
地方
dìfang
place
岁
suì
year (of age)
滑
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
Why this concept matters
One concept should unlock a network, not one translation
Speak1000 teaches 小 as part of a cumulative sentence network. You connect it to concepts you already know, hear the combinations in context, and retrieve them in new situations.
See the Concept Unlock MethodHear 小 used in real sentences
The fastest way to remember 小 (xiǎo) is to hear it used naturally. Start with our free interactive lesson and practice with real audio from day one.
Try Free Lesson: Unit 1