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少许 (shǎo xǔ) — (formal, written) a little, a few; a small amount

Definition

少许 is a formal, written noun meaning 'a little / a few' — common in recipes, instructions, and literary prose. Reads as more literary than the everyday 一些.

noun
(formal, written) a littlea fewa small amount

Examples

  • ，少许。
    Zuò wán fàn zhī hòu, jiā shǎo xǔ yán.
    After finishing cooking, add a little salt.
  • 少许。
    Zhī shèng xià shǎo xǔ shuǐ le.
    Only a little water is left.
  • 少许。
    Tā zhǐ yǒu shǎo xǔ péng you.
    He only has a few friends.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

少shǎofew; little
许xǔsome; a certain amount

少 gives few/little, and 许 gives some/a certain amount, together indicating a small quantity.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The form 少 is drawn as four dots, perhaps three grains of sand, to indicate a few or a little.

Open 少 →

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 許; 许 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánspeech; words
Sound part声符shēngfú
午
午wǔ許xǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 許 pairs 言, meaning speech or words, with 午 for its sound; 许 is a simplified form.

Open 许 →
Appears in
Quantity & Amount

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