一小撮 (yī xiǎo cuō) — (quantity) a small pinch, a tiny amount (of powder, grain, etc.); (figurative, derogatory) a handful (of bad people, reactionaries, criminals)
Definition
A quantifier for a tiny pinch (of powder, grain, salt) — used literally for small amounts and derogatorily for 'a handful of' bad people. The figurative sense is hostile and dismissive, calling out a small group as troublemakers.
quantifier
(quantity) a small pincha tiny amount (of powder, grain, etc.)(figurative, derogatory) a handful (of bad people, reactionaries, criminals)
Examples
- 一小撮。Tā zài tāng lǐ jiā le yī xiǎo cuō yán.She added a pinch of salt to the soup.
- 一小撮。yī xiǎo cuō Fàn zuì fèn zǐ bèi jǐng fāng zhuā huò le.A handful of criminals were caught by the police.
- 一小撮。Bié ràng yī xiǎo cuō bié yǒu yòng xīn de rén pò huài wǒ men de tuán jié.Don't let a handful of ill-intentioned people destroy our unity.
Appears in
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