TongTong
Sign in

点儿 (diǎn r) — (quantifier, suffixed with 儿) a little bit; a small amount; (in 有点儿) somewhat; a bit (adverbial)

Definition

点儿 (diǎnr) is a casual, erhua-flavored quantifier meaning 'a little, a bit' — used after 一点儿 'a little (of)' or fused into 有点儿 'a bit, somewhat' as an adverb. It is the spoken register of 点; use it in casual speech, not formal writing.

classifier
(quantifier, suffixed with 儿) a little bita small amount(in 有点儿) somewhata bit (adverbial)

Examples

  • 。
    Wǒ hái xiǎng zài jiā yì diǎn r shuǐ.
    I'd like to add a little more water.
  • ，。
    Tā jīn tiān yǒu diǎn r bù gāo xìng, bié rě tā.
    She is a bit unhappy today, don't provoke her.
  • 点儿，。
    Má fan nín zài gěi duō diǎn r, xiè xie.
    Please give me a bit more, thank you.

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.

点diǎnpoint
儿érerhua

点儿 uses 点 (a point) with 儿 to mean a small amount.

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 點; 点 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
黑黑hēiblack
Sound part声符shēngfú
占
占zhàn點diǎn(r)
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 點 pairs 黑 (black) with 占 for its sound; the simplified 点 is a later abbreviation.

Open 点 →

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

The shape 儿 is a simple drawing of a standing person, used as an alternate form of the character for person.

Open 儿 →

Grammar

Appears in
1000 Most Frequent Chinese WordsQuantity & Amount2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words3000 Most Frequent Chinese Words5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.