Meanings of 寥寥无几
By ear
Play it, then pick what 寥寥无几 means.
About 寥寥无几
Podcast: 寥寥无几
Podcast: 寥寥无几
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI study notes for 寥寥无几
稀少 (xī shǎo) vs 寥寥无几 (liáoliáowújǐ) — use 寥寥无几 to emphasize the countability and rarity of the small quantity.
This idiom is typically used in both formal and informal contexts but is more common in written language. Be careful not to confuse it with similar expressions that imply a moderate quantity. Common collocations include '人' (people) or '物' (objects), e.g., '这里的人寥寥无几' (There are only a few people here).
While 寥寥无几 is not included in the HSK vocabulary list, its components such as '无' (wu) and '几' (ji) are essential at HSK 2. Students should focus on understanding the idiomatic nature of this phrase and its application in contexts describing scarcity.
Learners often mix up 寥寥无几 with similar phrases like '不多' (not many), which does not convey the same level of scarcity. For example, saying '这里的人不多' (There are not many people here) lacks the emphasis on how few they actually are, which is captured in 寥寥无几.
Pronunciation of 寥寥无几
Drill the tone of 寥寥无几, say it back, see your pitch against the model voice, and earn XP towards mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Jason Explains 寥寥无几 to you
Let me explain 寥寥无几 for you
Make it yours
Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 寥寥无几 through them.
Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.
How well do you know 寥寥无几?
Learning Lab
Knowing 寥寥无几 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
- MeaningFree
- CharacterFree
- PinyinFree
- TonePro
- ListeningPro
- SpeakingPro
- WritingPro
Idiom spotlight: 寥寥无几
Component characters
How to say just a very few (idiom); tiny number in Chinese
“just a very few (idiom); tiny number” in Chinese is寥寥无几
The idiom 寥寥无几 (liao2 liao2 wu2 ji3) refers to a very small quantity, indicating that something is scarce or hardly present. It is often used to describe a situation where the number of items or people is so minimal that one could count them easily, emphasizing their rarity or lack.
When to use 寥寥无几
This idiom is typically used in both formal and informal contexts but is more common in written language. Be careful not to confuse it with similar expressions that imply a moderate quantity. Common collocations include '人' (people) or '物' (objects), e.g., '这里的人寥寥无几' (There are only a few people here).
寥寥无几 or something close to it
稀少 (xī shǎo) vs 寥寥无几 (liáoliáowújǐ) — use 寥寥无几 to emphasize the countability and rarity of the small quantity.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mix up 寥寥无几 with similar phrases like '不多' (not many), which does not convey the same level of scarcity. For example, saying '这里的人不多' (There are not many people here) lacks the emphasis on how few they actually are, which is captured in 寥寥无几.
Write 寥寥无几
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 寥寥无几 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Ask Jason
Have a question about 寥寥无几?
Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.
Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.
Frequently asked questions about 寥寥无几
Not really; this idiom emphasizes a very small number, not just mild scarcity.
Jason Recommends
Not sure what to learn after 寥寥无几?
Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.