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小于 (xiǎo yú) — less than (in comparison)

Definition

Use 小于 (xiǎo yú) to compare two quantities: one is smaller than the other. 低于 compares levels (temperature, prices, standards); 以内 means 'within a limit,' not a direct comparison.

verb
less than (in comparison)

Examples

  • 小于。
    Tā de nián líng xiǎo yú sān shí suì.
    His age is less than thirty.
  • 小于，。
    Zhè ge shù xiǎo yú nà ge shù, suǒ yǐ xuǎn xiǎo de.
    This number is less than that one, so pick the smaller one.
  • 小于，。
    Dāng qì wēn xiǎo yú líng dù shí, shuǐ huì jié bīng.
    When the temperature is less than zero, water freezes.

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xiǎoless
于yúthan

小 means less, and 于 supplies the sense of comparison; together they mean less than.

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.

  • 一一yīflat stream of air
  • 丂丂kǎoto exhale

The old shape of 于 may have pictured an ancient wind instrument. Another explanation reads 一 as a flat stream of air and 丂 as an exhaling mark.

Open 于 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5Comparison & DegreeMath

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