Making Chinese characters easy to write.

Sister Sites

Five Elements Test Chinese-Idioms.com

About Product Updates Privacy Policy Terms of Service

DICTIONARY

Chinese Dictionary
Pinyin Index
Radical Index
Character Components
HSK Dictionary
Character Compare

DICTIONARY

Chinese Dictionary
Pinyin Index
Radical Index
Character Components
HSK Dictionary
Character Compare

TOOLS

Practice & Review

Writing Practice
Flashcard Review
Dictation Practice
Worksheet Generator
Sentence Practice
Hanzi Sticker Match

Resources & Utilities

Worksheet Library
HSK Level Checker
Pinyin Converter

Fun & Culture

Name Generator
Zodiac Calculator

TOOLS

Practice & Review

Writing Practice
Flashcard Review
Dictation Practice
Worksheet Generator
Sentence Practice
Hanzi Sticker Match

Resources & Utilities

Worksheet Library
HSK Level Checker
Pinyin Converter

Fun & Culture

Name Generator
Zodiac Calculator

LEARN

Learning Center
Courses
Blog
Chinese Stroke Rules
Chinese Poetry
Pro Membership ✨

LEARN

Learning Center
Courses
Blog
Chinese Stroke Rules
Chinese Poetry
Pro Membership ✨

© 2026 Hanzi Stroke. All rights reserved.

Made with♥for Chinese learners.

小 (xiǎo): Stroke Order, Meaning & How to Write | HSK 1

By CharacterBrowse all characters A-Z

HSK ListsAll HSK versions overview

HSK 2.0

HSK Standard CourseHSK 2.0

Practice & Review

Home
Dictionary
小

小 (xiǎo): Small — Stroke Order & Writing Guide

HSK 2.0Level 1

By PinyinSearch by pronunciation

By RadicalFind by radical component

By ComponentsLearn meaning and sound clues

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 Level 6

HSK 3.0

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 Level 6 Level 7-9

New HSK CourseHSK 3.0

Integrated ChineseFourth Edition

Hanyu JiaochengThird Edition

Developing ChineseSecond Edition

BCT Standard Course

Kuaile HanyuSecond Edition

Browse all courses

Writing PracticePractice HSK and saved words

Flashcard ReviewSRS review for HSK and custom decks

Dictation PracticeListen and write characters

Worksheet GeneratorCreate practice sheets for free

Sentence PracticeWrite complete sentences in context

Hanzi Sticker MatchFree pinyin–hanzi matching game

Resources & Utilities

Worksheet LibraryHSK, Top 100 & themed PDFs

HSK Level CheckerCheck HSK level of any text

Pinyin ConverterConvert Chinese to Pinyin

Fun & Culture

Name GeneratorCreate your Chinese name

Zodiac CalculatorFind your zodiac animal

HSK 3.0

HSK 3.0:Recognition 1Writing 1-2

HSK 2.0Level 1

HSK 3.0Vocab 1 Recognition 1 Writing 1-2

1.

Animated Stroke Order 小

Watch the stroke order, then trace it yourself.

How to write 小 — animated stroke order

6,878 learners practiced this

2.

Readings & Meanings

小has 2 distinct senses for the same pronunciation

xiǎo

small
adj.HSK 1
small
adj./pref.

3.

Stroke Order Diagrams 小

小 stroke order diagram

4.

Printable Writing Worksheet: 小

小 handwriting practice worksheet preview

Download full HSK 3.0 Level 1 PDF pack

5.

How to Use 小

Xiao as a prefix for small or young nouns

Xiao modifies a noun to indicate something small in size, duration, or age.

小姐 • xiǎo jiě • Miss; young lady • HSK 1

HSK 1

6.

HSK Vocabulary: 小

小学 • xiǎo xué • elementary school; primary school

HSK 3.0 · L1

xiǎo小

xué

7.

Example Sentences

wǒ我

yǒu有

yì一

zhī只

xiǎo小

gǒu狗

Information

Pinyinxiǎo

Meaningsmall

Strokes3

Radical小

Traditional小

StructureSingle Body

Frequency#113

Zhuyinㄒㄧㄠˇ

UnicodeU+5C0F

CangjieNC

xiǎo小

jiě姐

Miss; young lady

小时 • xiǎo shí • hour • HSK 2

HSK 2

xiǎo小

shí时

hour

小吃 • xiǎo chī • snack • HSK 4

HSK 4

xiǎo小

chī吃

snack

Xiao in adjectives describing subtle or negative qualities

Xiao contributes to adjectives or phrases that describe carefulness, insignificance, or stinginess.

小心 • xiǎo xīn • take care • HSK 3

HSK 3

xiǎo小

xīn心

take care

小气 • xiǎo qi • stingy; mean • HSK 5

HSK 5

xiǎo小

qi气

stingy; mean

渺小 • miǎo xiǎo • tiny; negligible; insignificant • HSK 6

HSK 6

miǎo渺

xiǎo小

tiny; negligible; insignificant

学

elementary school; primary school

小学生 • xiǎo xué shēng • primary school student

HSK 3.0 · L1

xiǎo小

xué学

shēng生

primary school student

小朋友 • xiǎo péng yǒu • child

HSK 3.0 · L1

xiǎo小

péng朋

yǒu友

child

从小 • cóng xiǎo • from childhood

HSK 3.0 · L2

cóng从

xiǎo小

from childhood

小孩儿 • xiǎo hái r • child; kid

HSK 3.0 · L2

xiǎo小

hái孩

r儿

child; kid

小时候 • xiǎo shí hou • in one's childhood

HSK 3.0 · L2

xiǎo小

shí时

hou候

in one's childhood

。

I have a small dog.

zhè这

ge个

píng苹

guǒ果

hěn很

xiǎo小

。

This apple is very small.

nà那

ge个

xiǎo小

hái孩

zài在

gōng公

yuán园

lǐ里

wán玩

shuǎ耍

。

That child is playing in the park.

Related Characters

Explore characters by relationship

HSK Level 1

Characters from the same exam level.

住zhùto live; stay (a number of nights)
字zì(Chinese) character
坐zuòto sit
做zuòto do; to be; become (an occupation)
爱àito love
八bāeight

View all HSK 1 characters →

Same Sound

Characters pronounced "xiao".

哮xiàocough; pant; roar
枭xiāoowl thus, something evil
硝xiāosaltpeter, niter; to tan
孝xiàofilial piety; respect and care for one's parents
箫xiāobamboo flute
校xiàoschool; to check, to compare

View all "xiao" characters →

Same Radical

Characters with radical "小".

卒zúView details
尚shàngstill, yet; to value, to esteem
尝chángtaste
尔ěryou (singular, archaic or formal)
少shǎofew
尖jiānpointed, sharp tip

View all "小" radical characters →