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小意思 (xiǎo yì sāi) — (noun) a modest gift or token, often accompanied by modesty when giving it; (noun, colloquial) a trifle, something insignificant

Definition

A set phrase used as a modest reply when giving a small gift ('just a little token, please take it') or downplaying help given to someone ('it's nothing'). The politeness formula — not the gift or favor itself.

noun
a modest gift or token, often accompanied by modesty when giving it(noun, colloquial) a triflesomething insignificant

Examples

  • 小意思，。
    Zhè shì wǒ de yì diǎn xiǎo yì sāi, qǐng shōu xià.
    This is just a small token from me – please accept it.
  • ，小意思。
    Bāng gè máng ér yǐ, duì wǒ lái shuō jiù shì xiǎo yì sāi lā.
    Just helping out – it's no big deal to me.
  • 小意思，。
    Tā sòng le gè xiǎo yì sāi, dàn wǒ jué de lǐ wù hěn guì zhòng.
    He gave a small token, but I thought the gift was very generous.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

小xiǎosmall
意思meaning/feeling
意yìmeaning思sīthought
联合Coordinate

小 means small, while 意 and 思 relate to meaning and feeling, giving a small token or trifle.

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 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 意 →

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
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
囟
囟xìn思sī
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 思, 心 (heart) points to thinking, while the top part is a changed form of 囟, which supplied the sound.

Open 思 →
Appears in
Greetings & Politeness

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