Definition
削 (xiāo) means to pare/peel fruit with a knife (unlike 剥 bāo, which is peeling by hand or removing a skin/shell). It also means to delete (more formal than 删 shān) and to reduce/cut down (often in the compound 削减, while 省 shěng means 'to save/economize').
verb
to pareto peel (fruit)to sharpen (a pencil)to removeto delete (a name or item)to reduceto cut down (costs, staff, etc.)
Easily confused
- 哨shàolook-alikewhistle
- 小xiǎosound-alikesmall, tiny
- 捎shāolook-aliketo bring something to someone; to deliver
- 笑xiàosound-aliketo laugh
- 消xiāolook-aliketo eliminate, to dispel, to subside
- 销xiāolook-aliketo sell
Examples
- 削？Nǐ néng bāng wǒ xiāo ge lí ma?Can you help me peel a pear?
- 削。Shāngdiàn xiāo jià cùxiāo.The store cut prices to promote sales.
- 削。Tā bǎ nà yí duàn wénzì cóng wénzhāng lǐ xiāo qù le.He deleted that paragraph from the article.
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