寡 (guǎ) - Few & scant

寡Tone 3

guǎ ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

枫惠

寡 · guǎ

Few;

scant;

sparse;

widowed;

used in formal or literary contexts to denote scarcity or widowhood.

Fewscantsparse

Usage highlights

WidowFew wordsBland tasteScant populationFew desiresSolitary and few friends

Synonyms

  • 少— few; little
  • 稀— sparse; rare
  • 寡居— widowed; living alone

Antonyms

  • 众— many; crowd
  • 多— many; much
  • 繁— numerous; abundant

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The population is sparse (人口寡少).
  • She was widowed at a young age (她早年守寡).
  • He is a man of few words (他寡言少语).
  • This dish is bland (这道菜寡淡).

Collocations

  • Widow(寡妇)
  • Few words(寡言)
  • Bland taste(寡淡)
  • Scant population(寡民)
  • Few desires(寡欲)
  • Solitary and few friends(寡合)

Idioms

  • The few are no match for the many(寡不敌众)
  • Solitary and having few desires(清心寡欲)
  • Few words, trustworthy in action(寡言可信)
  • Widowed mother and orphaned son(孤儿寡母)
  • Benefit the people with few actions(寡民而利)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese culture, '寡' often carries a negative connotation, implying deficiency or loss.
  • Historically, '寡妇' (widow) referred to a woman who lost her husband, reflecting patriarchal social structures.
  • The term is used in classical texts like Confucian Analects to describe virtuous restraint, e.g., '寡欲' (having few desires).

FAQ