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少 (shǎo): Stroke Order, Meaning & How to Write | HSK 1

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少

少 (shǎo): Few — Stroke Order & Writing Guide

HSK 2.0Level 1

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Level 1

HSK 3.0:Recognition 1Writing 1-2

HSK 2.0Level 1

HSK 3.0Vocab 1 Recognition 1 Writing 1-2

1.

Animated Stroke Order 少

Watch the stroke order, then trace it yourself.

How to write 少 — animated stroke order

1,034 learners practiced this

2.

Readings & Meanings

少has 2 distinct senses for the same pronunciation

shǎo

few

few

adj./v.HSK 3.0 · L1

3.

Stroke Order Diagrams 少

少 stroke order diagram

4.

Character Breakdown

Top-Bottom

少

少=

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5.

Free Printable Handwriting Practice with Stroke Order: 少

Download and print worksheets to practice writing 少

少 handwriting practice sheet - portrait

FREE

少 handwriting practice sheet - portrait orientation

Download Portrait PDF

少 handwriting practice sheet - landscape orientation

Download Landscape PDF

6.

How to Use 少

Common patterns, words, and short phrases that show how 少 works in context.

Few in quantity or lacking

少 (shǎo) means a small number, low degree, or absence of something.

多少 • duō shǎo • how much/many? • HSK 1

HSK 1

7.

HSK Vocabulary: 少

HSK words that contain this character.

少年 • shào nián • early youth

HSK 3.0 · L4

shào少

nián

8.

Example Sentences

Real-world example sentences demonstrating how 少 is used in context

jīn今

tiān天

lái来

shàng上

kè课

de的

Information

Pinyinshǎo

Meaningfew

Strokes4

Radical小

Traditional少

StructureTop-Bottom

Frequency#114

Zhuyinㄕㄠˇ

UnicodeU+5C11

CangjieFH

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小small

A few grains (小) scattered — meaning few or little in quantity.

duō多

shǎo少

how much/many?

减少 • jiǎn shǎo • to reduce; to cut back; decrease • HSK 4

HSK 4

jiǎn减

shǎo少

to reduce; to cut back; decrease

缺少 • quē shǎo • lack • HSK 4

HSK 4

quē缺

shǎo少

lack

少量 • shǎo liàng • a smidgen • HSK 3.0 · L4

HSK 3.0 · L4

shǎo少

liàng量

a smidgen

Scarcity and necessity

少 appears in set phrases about scarcity, minimums, or necessity.

至少 • zhì shǎo • at least • HSK 4

HSK 4

zhì至

shǎo少

at least

少见 • shǎo jiàn • rare; seldom seen • HSK 3.0 · L4

HSK 3.0 · L4

shǎo少

jiàn见

rare; seldom seen

少不了 • shǎo bu liǎo • Inevitable / Can't do without • HSK 3.0 · L7-9

HSK 3.0 · L7-9

shǎo少

bu不

liǎo了

Inevitable / Can't do without

必不可少 • bì bù kě shǎo • absolutely necessary / indispensable • HSK 3.0 · L7-9

HSK 3.0 · L7-9

bì必

bù不

kě可

shǎo

年

early youth

少数 • shǎo shù • small number

HSK 3.0 · L4

shǎo少

shù数

small number

青少年 • qīng shào nián • youngsters

HSK 5

qīng青

shào少

nián年

youngsters

少儿 • shào ér • child

HSK 3.0 · L6

shào少

ér儿

child

少女 • shào nǚ • Young girl / Maiden

HSK 3.0 · L7-9

shào少

nǚ女

Young girl / Maiden

稀少 • xī shǎo • rare / scarce

HSK 3.0 · L7-9

xī稀

shǎo少

rare / scarce

xué

学

shēng生

hěn很

shǎo少

。

Very few students came to class today.

wǒ我

men们

de的

xiàng项

mù目

quē缺

shǎo少

zú足

gòu够

de的

zī资

jīn金

。

Our project lacks sufficient funding.

wǒ我

de的

qián钱

tài太

shǎo少

le了

，

bù不

néng能

mǎi买

nà那

běn本

shū书

。

I have too little money and cannot buy that book.

zhè这

ge个

bān班

jí级

yǒu有

duō多

shǎo少

míng名

xué学

shēng生

？

How many students are in this class?

nà那

ge个

shào少

nián年

zhèng正

zài在

gōng公

yuán园

lǐ里

pǎo跑

bù步

。

That young man is running in the park.

少

absolutely necessary / indispensable

Related Characters

Explore characters by relationship

HSK Level 1

Characters from the same exam level.

坐zuòto sit
做zuòto do; to be; become (an occupation)
爱àito love
八bāeight
本běnroot; [measure word for books]
不bùnot; no

View all HSK 1 characters →

Same Sound

Characters pronounced "shao".

邵shaoa Chinese surname
韶sháomusic of the emperor Shun; beautiful
芍sháopeony; water chestnuts
稍shāoslightly; a little
绍shàoto continue, to connect, to introduce
烧shāoto burn, to heat

View all "shao" 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)
尖jiānpointed, sharp tip
恭gōngrespectful, reverent

View all "小" radical characters →