Definition
零碎 (líng suì) describes things that are small, scattered, and not part of a whole — like scraps of paper or spare time. 碎 (suì) focuses on something being broken into pieces, while 琐碎 (suǒ suì) is used for trivial, bothersome matters (e.g., chores). 零星 (líng xīng) emphasizes being few and far between (e.g., sporadic rain).
adjective
scattered and fragmentarypiecemeal
noun
scrapsodds and ends
Examples
- 零碎。Tā lìyòng líng suì shíjiān xuéxí wàiyǔ.He uses spare moments to study foreign languages.
- 零碎。Tā bǎ líng suì dōu fàng zài chōuti lǐ le.She put all the odds and ends in the drawer.
- 零碎。Zhèxiē líng suì zhǐ kěyǐ huíshōu lìyòng.These scraps of paper can be recycled.
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