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娇小 (jiāo xiǎo) — petite, dainty (of a person's build, especially a woman's)

Definition

Used mainly for women's build or delicate features — softer and more admiring than just 小. Connotes a charming, dainty attractiveness rather than mere smallness.

adjective
petitedainty (of a person's build, especially a woman's)

Examples

  • 娇小，。
    Tā shēn cái jiāo xiǎo, kàn qǐ lái hěn kě ài.
    She is petite and looks very cute.
  • 娇小。
    Tā yǒu yì zhāng jiāo xiǎo de liǎn.
    She has a petite face.
  • 娇小，。
    Zhè jiàn yī fu de shè jì hěn jiāo xiǎo, shì hé nián qīng nǚ hái.
    The design of this dress is dainty, suitable for young girls.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

娇jiāodelicate
小xiǎosmall

娇 suggests delicate and 小 suggests small; together they describe a daintily small build.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 嬌; 娇 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
女女nǚwoman
Sound part声符shēngfú
喬
喬qiáo嬌jiāo
Same sound today

The traditional form 嬌 has 女 (woman) beside 喬, which gave the sound; the simplified 娇 is a shorthand.

Open 娇 →

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 →
Appears in
Size & Dimension

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