Every word taught across 6X Academy's Chinese courses, plus the full open CC-CEDICT dictionary as a fallback,
in one searchable place. Search by character, pinyin, or English — or paste a whole sentence to look up
every character in it at once.
to be a little bit careless; to have a moment of inattentiveness; accidentally
一小撮
yī xiǎo cuō
handful (of)
一小部分
yī xiǎo bù fèn
a small part; a small section
一小阵儿
yī xiǎo zhèn r
very brief period of time
一览众山小
yī lǎn zhòng shān xiǎo
(last line of the poem 望岳 by Tang poet Du Fu 杜甫[Du4 Fu3]) with one look I shall see all the smaller mountains down below (from the summit of Mt Tai 泰山[Tai4 Shan1]); (fig.) awe-inspiring view from a very high place
三小
sān xiǎo
(Tw) (vulgar) what the hell? (from Taiwanese 啥潲, Tai-lo pr. [siánn-siâ], equivalent to Mandarin 什麼|什么[shen2 me5])
三陪小姐
sān péi xiǎo jie
female escort; bar girl
上有老下有小
shàng yǒu lǎo xià yǒu xiǎo
lit. above are the elderly, below are the young (idiom); fig. to have to take care of both one's aging parents and one's children; sandwich generation
不区分大小写
bù qū fēn dà xiǎo xiě
case insensitive; not distinguishing capitals from lowercase letters
不容小觑
bù róng xiǎo qù
(idiom) not to be underestimated; not to be taken lightly
不拘小节
bù jū xiǎo jié
to not bother about trifles (idiom)
不无小补
bù wú xiǎo bǔ
not be without some advantage; be of some help
丑小鸭
chǒu xiǎo yā
(fig.) ugly duckling
专案小组
zhuān àn xiǎo zǔ
task force
世界小姐选美
shì jiè xiǎo jie xuǎn měi
Miss World Beauty Pageant
丝丝小雨
sī sī xiǎo yǔ
fine drizzle
两小无猜
liǎng xiǎo wú cāi
innocent playmates
中国小说史略
zhōng guó xiǎo shuō shǐ lvè
Concise History of the Chinese Novel by Lu Xun 魯迅|鲁迅[Lu3 Xun4]
中小企业
zhōng xiǎo qǐ yè
small and medium enterprise
中小型企业
zhōng xiǎo xíng qǐ yè
small or medium size enterprise (SME)
中小学
zhōng xiǎo xué
middle and elementary school
中篇小说
zhōng piān xiǎo shuō
novella
事无大小
shì wú dà xiǎo
see 事無巨細|事无巨细[shi4 wu2 ju4 xi4]
从小
cóng xiǎo
from childhood; from a young age
以小人之心，度君子之腹
yǐ xiǎo rén zhī xīn , duó jūn zǐ zhī fù
to gauge the heart of a gentleman with one's own mean measure (idiom)
假小子
jiǎ xiǎo zi
tomboy
做小
zuò xiǎo
to be sb's concubine
做小抄
zuò xiǎo chāo
to prepare a crib sheet; to crib; to cheat by copying
八小时工作制
bā xiǎo shí gōng zuò zhì
eight-hour workday system
减小
jiǎn xiǎo
to reduce; to decrease; to diminish
初小
chū xiǎo
lower elementary school (abbr. for 初級小學|初级小学[chu1 ji2 xiao3 xue2])
初级小学
chū jí xiǎo xué
lower elementary school
势利小人
shì li xiǎo rén
snob
区分大小写
qū fēn dà xiǎo xiě
case sensitive; distinguishing capitals from lowercase letters
区区小事
qū qū xiǎo shì
trivial matter; trifle
升斗小民
shēng dǒu xiǎo mín
(idiom) poor people; those who live from hand to mouth
半大不小
bàn dà bù xiǎo
teenage; in one's teens; adolescent
半大小子
bàn dà xiǎo zǐ
teenage boy; adolescent boy
半小时
bàn xiǎo shí
half an hour; 30 minutes
发小
fà xiǎo
(dialect) close childhood friend whom one grew up with; a couple who grew up as childhood friends
发小儿
fà xiǎo r
erhua variant of 髮小|发小[fa4 xiao3]
发热伴血小板减少综合征
fā rè bàn xuè xiǎo bǎn jiǎn shǎo zōng hé zhēng
severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS)
古今小说
gǔ jīn xiǎo shuō
Stories Old and New by Feng Menglong 馮夢龍|冯梦龙[Feng2 Meng4 long2], collection of late Ming baihua 白話|白话[bai2 hua4] tales published in 1620
史传小说
shǐ zhuàn xiǎo shuō
historical novel
吃小灶
chī xiǎo zào
to be given special treatment; to be treated in a favored way
同人小说
tóng rén xiǎo shuō
fan fiction
君子不计小人过
jūn zǐ bù jì xiǎo rén guò
see 大人不記小人過|大人不记小人过[da4 ren2 bu4 ji4 xiao3 ren2 guo4]
君子坦荡荡，小人长戚戚
jūn zi tǎn dàng dàng , xiǎo rén cháng qī qī
good people are at peace with themselves, (but) there is no rest for the wicked
听小骨
tīng xiǎo gǔ
ossicles (of the middle ear); three ossicles, acting as levers to amplify sound, namely: stapes or stirrup bone 鐙骨|镫骨, incus or anvil bone 砧骨, malleus or hammer bone 錘骨|锤骨
周小川
zhōu xiǎo chuān
Zhou Xiaochuan (1948–), Chinese economist, governor of the People's Bank of China 中國人民銀行|中国人民银行[Zhong1 guo2 Ren2 min2 Yin2 hang2] 2002–2018
嘎嘎小姐
gā gā xiǎo jie
Lady Gaga (1986-), US pop singer
四小龙
sì xiǎo lóng
Four Asian Tigers; East Asian Tigers; Four Little Dragons (East Asian economic powers: Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong)
因小失大
yīn xiǎo shī dà
to save a little only to lose a lot (idiom)
国小
guó xiǎo
elementary school (Tw); abbr. for 國民小學|国民小学[guo2 min2 xiao3 xue2]
国民小学
guó mín xiǎo xué
elementary school (Tw)
坐台小姐
zuò tái xiǎo jiě
bar girl; professional escort
大事化小，小事化了
dà shì huà xiǎo , xiǎo shì huà liǎo
to turn big problems into small ones, and small problems into no problems at all (idiom)
大人不记小人过
dà rén bù jì xiǎo rén guò
a person of great moral stature does not remember the offenses committed by one of low moral stature
大同小异
dà tóng xiǎo yì
virtually the same; differing only on small points
大呼小叫
dà hū xiǎo jiào
to shout and quarrel; to make a big fuss
大处着眼，小处着手
dà chù zhuó yǎn , xiǎo chù zhuó shǒu
think of the big picture, start with the little things (idiom)
大大小小
dà dà xiǎo xiǎo
large and small; of all sizes
大小
dà xiǎo
large and small; size; adults and children
大小三度
dà xiǎo sān dù
major and minor third (musical interval)
大小便
dà xiǎo biàn
using the toilet; urination and defecation
大小写
dà xiǎo xiě
capitals and lowercase letters
大小声
dà xiǎo shēng
(Tw) (coll.) to speak loudly and emotionally; to raise one's voice; to yell and shout
大小姐
dà xiǎo jie
eldest daughter of an affluent family; (polite) your daughter; bossy or indulged young woman
大小眼
dà xiǎo yǎn
one eye bigger than the other
大惊小怪
dà jīng xiǎo guài
to make a fuss about nothing (idiom)
大才小用
dà cái xiǎo yòng
variant of 大材小用[da4 cai2 xiao3 yong4]
大材小用
dà cái xiǎo yòng
(idiom) to use a talented person in a role far beneath their ability; a waste of talent
大眼瞪小眼
dà yǎn dèng xiǎo yǎn
(idiom) to look at each other, not knowing what to do
大肠包小肠
dà cháng bāo xiǎo cháng
small sausage in large sausage (pork sausage stuffed inside a glutinous rice sausage, a Taiwanese street food specialty)
大街小巷
dà jiē xiǎo xiàng
great streets and small alleys (idiom); everywhere in the city
大醇小疵
dà chún xiǎo cī
great despite minor blemishes; a rough diamond
大题小作
dà tí xiǎo zuò
to cut a long story short; a brief treatment of a complicated subject; fig. to treat an important question as a minor matter
奶油小生
nǎi yóu xiǎo shēng
handsome but effeminate man; pretty boy
妻小
qī xiǎo
wife and children; (old) wife
娇小
jiāo xiǎo
petite; delicate; dainty
学分小时
xué fēn xiǎo shí
credit hour (in an academic credit system)
安培小时
ān péi xiǎo shí
ampere-hour (Ah)
宵小
xiāo xiǎo
thief; bandit; scoundrel
家小
jiā xiǎo
wife and children; wife
小
xiǎo
small
From: Chinese Characters Made Easy: Radicals & Memory Tricks
小䴙䴘
xiǎo pì tī
(bird species of China) little grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
小case
xiǎo c a s e
(slang) a piece of cake; a simple matter
小三
xiǎo sān
mistress; the other woman (coll.); grade 3 in elementary school
小三劝退师
xiǎo sān quàn tuì shī
consultant who breaks up sb's extramarital relationship for a fee
小三和弦
xiǎo sān hé xián
minor triad la-do-mi
小三度
xiǎo sān dù
minor third (musical interval)
小不忍则乱大谋
xiǎo bù rěn zé luàn dà móu
(idiom) great plans can be ruined by just a touch of impatience
小不点
xiǎo bu diǎn
tiny; very small; tiny thing
小丑
xiǎo chǒu
clown
小丑鱼
xiǎo chǒu yú
clownfish; anemonefish
小丘
xiǎo qiū
hill; knoll
小两口
xiǎo liǎng kǒu
(coll.) young married couple
小两口儿
xiǎo liǎng kǒu r
erhua variant of 小兩口|小两口[xiao3 liang3 kou3]
小乘
xiǎo shèng
Hinayana, the Lesser Vehicle; Buddhism in India before the Mayahana sutras; also pr. [Xiao3 cheng2]
小九九
xiǎo jiǔ jiǔ
multiplication tables; (fig.) plan; scheme
小书签
xiǎo shū qiān
bookmarklet (computing)
小事
xiǎo shì
trifle; trivial matter
小事一桩
xiǎo shì yī zhuāng
trivial matter; a piece of cake
小二
xiǎo èr
waiter
小于
xiǎo yú
less than, <
小云雀
xiǎo yún què
(bird species of China) oriental skylark (Alauda gulgula)
小亚细亚
xiǎo yà xì yà
Asia Minor; Anatolia
小产
xiǎo chǎn
to miscarry; a miscarriage; an abortion
小人
xiǎo rén
person of low social status (old); I, me (used to refer humbly to oneself); nasty person
小人书
xiǎo rén shū
children's picture story book
小人得志
xiǎo rén dé zhì
lit. a vile character flourishes (idiom); fig. an inferior person gets into a position of power, becoming conceited and arrogant
小人物
xiǎo rén wù
nonentity; a nobody
小人精
xiǎo rén jīng
exceptionally bright kid; child prodigy
小仙女
xiǎo xiān nǚ
girl fairy; beautiful girl or young woman; (neologism) (slang) irrational and egocentric young woman
小仙鹟
xiǎo xiān wēng
(bird species of China) small niltava (Niltava macgrigoriae)
小企业
xiǎo qǐ yè
small enterprise
小众
xiǎo zhòng
minority of the population; non-mainstream (activity, pursuit etc); niche (market etc)
小伙
xiǎo huǒ
young guy; lad; youngster
小伙儿
xiǎo huǒ r
erhua variant of 小伙[xiao3 huo3]
小伙子
xiǎo huǒ zi
(coll.) young man; young fellow; lad
小传
xiǎo zhuàn
sketch biography; profile
小作怡情，大作伤身
xiǎo zuō yí qíng , dà zuō shāng shēn
an occasional display of histrionics can add a playful element to a relationship, but overdoing it can lead to a breakup (admonishment derived from the saying 小酌怡情，大酌傷身|小酌怡情，大酌伤身[xiao3 zhuo2 yi2 qing2 , da4 zhuo2 shang1 shen1])
小便
xiǎo biàn
urine; to urinate; (euphemism) penis or vulva
小便器
xiǎo biàn qì
urinal
小便宜
xiǎo pián yi
petty advantage; small gains
小便斗
xiǎo biàn dǒu
urinal
小便池
xiǎo biàn chí
urinal
小偷
xiǎo tōu
thief
小偷儿
xiǎo tōu r
erhua form of 小偷[xiao3 tou1]
小偷小摸
xiǎo tōu xiǎo mō
to engage in petty theft
小儿
xiǎo r
(coll.) early childhood; (coll.) baby boy
小儿科
xiǎo ér kē
pediatrics; pediatric (department); sth of little importance
小儿经
xiǎo ér jīng
Xiao'erjing, refers to the use of the Arabic alphabet to write Chinese
小儿软骨病
xiǎo ér ruǎn gǔ bìng
(medicine) rickets
小儿麻痹
xiǎo ér má bì
polio (poliomyelitis)
小儿麻痹病毒
xiǎo ér má bì bìng dú
poliovirus
小儿麻痹症
xiǎo ér má bì zhèng
poliomyelitis; infantile paralysis
小公主
xiǎo gōng zhǔ
lit. little princess; fig. spoiled girl; female version of 小皇帝[xiao3 huang2 di4]
小公共
xiǎo gōng gòng
mini bus (used for public transportation)
小册子
xiǎo cè zi
booklet; pamphlet; leaflet
小写
xiǎo xiě
lowercase
小写字母
xiǎo xiě zì mǔ
lowercase (letters)
小军舰鸟
xiǎo jūn jiàn niǎo
(bird species of China) great frigatebird (Fregata minor)
小冲突
xiǎo chōng tū
skirmish; clash; dispute
小凤头燕鸥
xiǎo fèng tóu yàn ōu
(bird species of China) lesser crested tern (Thalasseus bengalensis)
小刀
xiǎo dāo
knife
小刀会
xiǎo dāo huì
Dagger Society, anti-Qing secret society who mounted an unsuccessful rebellion in 1855
小别胜新婚
xiǎo bié shèng xīn hūn
reunion after an absence is sweeter than being newlyweds (idiom); absence makes the heart grow fonder
小动作
xiǎo dòng zuò
bad habit (e.g. nose-picking); petty maneuver; dirty trick
