小试 (xiǎo shì) — to have a preliminary try; to make a casual tri… | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A formal set-phrase verb meaning to try something out briefly, usually as a small test of one's skill. It pairs tightly with 牛刀 (小试牛刀 = to show a fraction of one's ability).

verb

to have a preliminary tryto make a casual trial

Easily confused

Examples

。
Zhè cì bǐ sài duì tā lái shuō zhǐ shì xiǎo shì niú dāo.
This competition is just a small show of his skill.
小试。
Tā xiǎng xiǎo shì yí xià zì jǐ de shǒu yì.
He wants to try out his skills a little.
小试，。
Wǒ xiān xiǎo shì, kàn kàn xiào guǒ rú hé.
I'll have a little try first and see how it works.

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xiǎoa little

小 means a little and 试 means try; together a preliminary or casual try.

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.

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 試; 试 is its simplified writing.

言式試

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

式

式shì試shì

Same sound today

The traditional form 試 puts 言 beside 式, and 式 gives the sound; the simplified 试 is the form of this character.

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