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小小的 (xiǎo xiǎo de) — very small; tiny; (as a courtesy) small and insignificant

Definition

Reduplication of 小 for an affectionate, emphatic tone — 'tiny / little' in a soft, often endearing way, also used as self-deprecating courtesy (e.g. 小小的心意 'a small token').

adjective
very smalltiny(as a courtesy) small and insignificant

Examples

  • 小小的，。
    Tā sòng le wǒ yí gè xiǎo xiǎo de hé zi, lǐ miàn zhuāng zhe yì méi jiè zhi.
    She gave me a tiny box with a ring inside.
  • 小小的，。
    Zhè zhǐ shì yì diǎn xiǎo xiǎo de xīn yì, qǐng nín shōu xià.
    This is just a small token of appreciation; please accept it.
  • 小小的，。
    Bié xiǎo kàn nà ge xiǎo xiǎo de biàn huà, tā qiān dòng le zhěng gè xiàng mù.
    Don't overlook that tiny change — it affected the whole project.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

小小very small
小xiǎosmall小xiǎosmall
重叠Reduplication
的deof

The repeated small small 的 expresses a softened sense of very small.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 八八bāto divide; to separate
  • 丨丨gǔnsmall object

The shape of 小 comes from three small dots, later elongated into its strokes; the apparent parts 八 and 丨 are a later way of seeing it.

Open 小 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 八八bāto divide; to separate
  • 丨丨gǔnsmall object

The shape of 小 comes from three small dots, later elongated into its strokes; the apparent parts 八 and 丨 are a later way of seeing it.

Open 小 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
白白báiwhite
Sound part声符shēngfú
勺
勺sháo的de
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

的 pairs 白, related to white or brightness, with 勺, which gives a clue to the sound. Its older form 旳 meant bright.

Open 的 →
Appears in
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