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小打小闹 (xiǎo dǎ xiǎo nào) — (idiom) small-scale; minor; insignificant (activities or operations)

Definition

An idiom meaning 'small-scale, nothing serious' — used for minor activities, squabbles, or projects that don't amount to much. Often carries a slightly dismissive tone, as in 'just a bit of fuss, not a big deal'.

idiom
small-scaleminorinsignificant (activities or operations)

Examples

  • 小打小闹，。
    Tā men kāi de gōng sī zhǐ shì xiǎo dǎ xiǎo nào, méi shén me dà tóu zī.
    The company they started is just a small-scale operation with no big investment.
  • 小打小闹，。
    Liǎng gè hái zi xiǎo dǎ xiǎo nào dì chǎo le jǐ jù, hěn kuài jiù hé hǎo le.
    The two kids had a minor squabble and made up quickly.
  • 小打小闹，。
    Zhè zhǒng xiǎo dǎ xiǎo nào de huó dòng, bú yòng qǐng tài duō rén.
    For this kind of small-scale event, we don't need to invite too many people.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

小打small hit
小xiǎosmall打dǎhit
偏正Modifier + head
小闹small fuss
小xiǎosmall闹nàomake noise
偏正Modifier + head

小打 and 小闹 combine light hitting with noisy fussing, giving a small-scale activity.

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 →

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng打dǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

打 uses 扌, a hand, to show an action done with the hand, and 丁 to give the sound.

Open 打 →

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 鬧; 闹 is its simplified writing.

  • 鬥鬥dòuto fight
  • 市市shìmarket; town

The traditional form 鬧 combines 鬥 (to fight) and 市 (market; town) to mean noisy.

Open 闹 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

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