寥 (liáo) - Few & sparse

寥Tone 2

liáo ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

梁嘹

寥 · liáo

Few;

sparse;

deserted;

lonely;

quiet;

vast and empty.

Fewsparsedeserted

Usage highlights

Deserted and lonelyVery fewVast and emptySparse and scatteredRare and fewQuiet and solitary

Synonyms

  • 稀— sparse; rare
  • 疏— scattered; thin
  • 寡— few; scant

Antonyms

  • 繁— numerous; bustling
  • 密— dense; thick
  • 众— many; numerous

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The streets were deserted at night (寥落的街道).
  • Only a few people attended the meeting (寥寥几人).
  • The vast and empty sky (寥廓的天空).
  • He lives a quiet and solitary life (寂寥的生活).

Collocations

  • Deserted and lonely(寂寥)
  • Very few(寥寥)
  • Vast and empty(寥廓)
  • Sparse and scattered(寥落)
  • Rare and few(寥若晨星)
  • Quiet and solitary(寥寂)

Idioms

  • As sparse as morning stars(寥若晨星)
  • Desolate and uninhabited(寥无人烟)
  • Vast and boundless(寥廓无垠)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Often used in classical Chinese poetry to convey feelings of solitude and emptiness.
  • Associated with philosophical concepts of minimalism and tranquility in Daoist thought.
  • Frequently appears in descriptions of natural landscapes to emphasize vastness and solitude.

FAQ