COMPONENTS & ETYMOLOGY
How 少 is built
Traditional etymology note: Grains of sand; 小 provides the pronunciation and meaning
More “shao” characters →Link copied to clipboard!
How to Write 少 (shǎo) — Chinese Character Stroke Order, Meaning & Practice Sheet
few
shǎoTone 3 (Dipping)Let your pitch fall, then rise.
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STROKE BY STROKE
Static stroke diagrams
Follow all 4 strokes in the correct order.
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StrokeSheetCharacter Writing Worksheet
shǎo / shào
少
few
Common words
duō shǎo
多少
number; amount; somewhat
jiǎn shǎo
减少
to lessen; to decrease; to reduce; to lower
quē shǎo
缺少
lack; shortage of; shortfall; to be short (of)
shǎo jiàn
少见
rare; seldom seen; (formal) it's a rare pleasure to see you
shǎo liàng
少量
a smidgen; a little bit; a few
shào nián
少年
early youth; youngster; (literary) youth; young man
Follow the stroke order, then write it on your own.
少
少
少
少
少
少
少
少
LEARNING TIP
Remember 少
Say “shǎo” aloud as you replay the animation. Then hide the model and write the 4 strokes from memory. Short, repeated practice builds a stronger visual and motor connection.
Practice on CanvasWORDS WITH 少
Common words and phrases
duō shǎo
number; amount; somewhat
jiǎn shǎo
to lessen; to decrease; to reduce; to lower
quē shǎo
lack; shortage of; shortfall; to be short (of)
shǎo jiàn
rare; seldom seen; (formal) it's a rare pleasure to see you
shǎo liàng
a smidgen; a little bit; a few
shào nián
early youth; youngster; (literary) youth; young man
Frequently asked questions
How many strokes are in 少?
少 is written with 4 strokes.
What does 少 (shǎo) mean?
少 (shǎo) means few.
What is the radical of 少?
The radical of 少 is 小, associated with Not yet classified.