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从小 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
从小cóngxiǎofrom childhoodHSK 2, unknown, 7 strokes, rank #5173, Easy
从小cóngxiǎoas a childHSK 2, unknown, 7 strokes, rank #5173, Easy
cóngxiǎo(cong2xiao3)cong xiao T2
  1. 1from childhood
  2. 2as a child
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March 24, 2026

从小(從小)cóngxiǎo(cong2xiao3)

从小 (cóng xiǎo) means 'from childhood' or 'since a young age.' It is commonly used to express experiences, habits, or influences that have been present since early childhood, often emphasizing the duration of these experiences in a person's life.

Strokes7Frequency#5173DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, discussing one's childhood is often seen as a way to reflect on personal growth and familial influences, making 从小 a significant phrase in storytelling and personal anecdotes.

Memory Tip

Imagine a small child (小) starting to run (从) in a race. The child has been running since they were very small, illustrating the meaning 'from childhood.' The character 从 looks like a person running, and 小 represents the child's small stature.

Meanings of 从小

cóngxiǎo(cong2xiao3)
1from childhood
2as a child
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About 从小

从小Simplified
從小Traditional
7Strokes
—Radical
副词fùcíadverb (adv.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L2ElementaryTOCFLL2YCTL3HSKKL1CEFRA1

Podcast: 从小

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Podcast: 从小

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AI Study Notes for 从小

Quick Contrast

从小 (cóng xiǎo) vs 从小就 (cóng xiǎo jiù) — use 从小 when emphasizing the starting point of experiences, while 从小就 adds a sense of continuity or inevitability to those experiences.

Usage Notes

Be careful to use 从小 in contexts where you refer to a continuous experience or influence from childhood. It is often used in both formal and informal settings, and common collocations include 从小就 (since childhood) and 从小学习 (learned from a young age).

HSK Study Tips

Although 从小 is not an HSK word, it connects well with HSK Level 2 vocabulary related to family and personal experiences. Focus on using it in sentences about your upbringing or early interests to practice both meaning and context.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 从小 with just 小. For example, saying '我从小喜欢音乐' (I like music since childhood) is correct, but saying '我小喜欢音乐' is incorrect and lacks the temporal nuance of 从小.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 从小

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Component Characters

从cóngsecond cousin
HSK 24 strokes人
View full entry
小xiǎosmall
HSK 13 strokes小
View full entry

How to say from childhood in Chinese

“from childhood” in Chinese is从小cóngxiǎo

从小 (cóng xiǎo) means 'from childhood' or 'since a young age.' It is commonly used to express experiences, habits, or influences that have been present since early childhood, often emphasizing the duration of these experiences in a person's life.

When to use 从小

Be careful to use 从小 in contexts where you refer to a continuous experience or influence from childhood. It is often used in both formal and informal settings, and common collocations include 从小就 (since childhood) and 从小学习 (learned from a young age).

从小 or something close to it

从小 (cóng xiǎo) vs 从小就 (cóng xiǎo jiù) — use 从小 when emphasizing the starting point of experiences, while 从小就 adds a sense of continuity or inevitability to those experiences.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 从小 with just 小. For example, saying '我从小喜欢音乐' (I like music since childhood) is correct, but saying '我小喜欢音乐' is incorrect and lacks the temporal nuance of 从小.

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从
小

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Frequently Asked Questions about 从小

Yes, 从小 can be used in both formal and informal contexts.

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