About
The character "小" derives from an early pictographic form representing three tiny particles or specks, visually encoding the concept of minimal size within its simple structure of a central vertical stroke flanked by two dots. This elemental composition has maintained its basic shape across time, directly linking its graphical form to the idea of littleness or triviality. Etymologically, it functions as the semantic root for notions of minor scale or reduced importance, and while its primary meaning of "small" has been consistently central, its application has extended to qualify nouns related to youth, as in "小孩" (child), or to denote a lesser degree in comparative contexts, thereby enriching its lexical role without departing from its fundamental sense.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我有一只小狗。
小心路上有车。
那个小孩很聪明。
这个房子太小了。
我喜欢吃小蛋糕。
小狗跑得很快，但它很小。
那个小书店里有很多有趣的书。
虽然这个城市很小，但是生活很方便。