很少 (hěnshǎo) means 'very few' or 'rarely.' It is used to describe a small quantity of something or to indicate that an action happens infrequently. This word is often used in negative contexts to express scarcity or low frequency.
HSK 1, 16 strokes, Hard
hěnshǎo(hen3shao3) T3
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May 27, 2026
很少hěnshǎo(hen3shao3)
很少 (hěnshǎo) means 'very few' or 'rarely.' It is used to describe a small quantity of something or to indicate that an action happens infrequently. This word is often used in negative contexts to express scarcity or low frequency.
Strokes16Frequency#—DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, expressing scarcity or rarity can often reflect the value placed on unique experiences or items. For example, certain foods or traditions may be described as 很少 to emphasize their special status.
Memory Tip
Imagine a tiny, rare flower blooming in a vast field. The flower represents '很少' with '很' (hěn) indicating 'very' and '少' (shǎo) meaning 'few.' Visualize how special and infrequent it is to see this flower, reinforcing the idea of rarity.
About 很少
很少Simplified
16Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L1ElementaryHSKKL1CEFRA1
Podcast: 很少
Podcast: 很少
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AI Study Notes for 很少
Quick Contrast
少 (shǎo) vs 稀少 (xīshǎo) — use 很少 to emphasize the degree of infrequency or scarcity.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a tiny, rare flower blooming in a vast field. The flower represents '很少' with '很' (hěn) indicating 'very' and '少' (shǎo) meaning 'few.' Visualize how special and infrequent it is to see this flower, reinforcing the idea of rarity.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 很少 with 不常 (bù cháng), which means 'not often.' Remember that 很少 emphasizes the small quantity itself, while 不常 focuses on frequency. This term is generally informal and is commonly used in everyday conversation.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 1 word, focus on recognizing and using 很少 in simple sentences. It connects well with other basic adjectives and quantifiers you've learned, such as 多 (duō, many) and 一点 (yīdiǎn, a little).
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, expressing scarcity or rarity can often reflect the value placed on unique experiences or items. For example, certain foods or traditions may be described as 很少 to emphasize their special status.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes mistakenly use 很少 to mean 'not at all.' For instance, saying '我很少去' (Wǒ hěnshǎo qù) to mean 'I do not go at all' is incorrect; instead, use '我不去' (Wǒ bù qù).
AI-enhanced 2026-05-27
Pronunciation of 很少
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Cultural Notes for 很少
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, expressing scarcity or rarity can often reflect the value placed on unique experiences or items. For example, certain foods or traditions may be described as 很少 to emphasize their special status.
Frequently Asked Questions about 很少
You can say '我很少吃水果' (Wǒ hěnshǎo chī shuǐguǒ), meaning 'I rarely eat fruit.'
Not necessarily; it can describe something that is infrequent or sparse, but it often appears in negative contexts.
Yes, you can combine it with other adjectives, for example, '很少人' (hěnshǎo rén), meaning 'very few people.'
