稀 (xī) - rare & scarce

稀Tone 1

xī ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

万响

稀 · xī

rare;

scarce;

sparse;

diluted;

thin (of liquids);

uncommon;

infrequent

rarescarcesparse

Usage highlights

rare elementsparse populationdilute solutionrare phenomenonporridgerare earth

Synonyms

  • 少— few; little
  • 罕— rare; seldom
  • 疏— sparse; scattered

Antonyms

  • 密— dense; thick
  • 浓— concentrated; thick
  • 稠— thick; dense
  • 多— many; much

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • This mineral is very rare (稀有矿物).
  • The population density is sparse (人口密度稀疏).
  • Add water to dilute the soup (把汤稀释).
  • We rarely see such phenomena (这种现象很稀罕).

Collocations

  • rare element(稀有元素)
  • sparse population(人口稀疏)
  • dilute solution(稀溶液)
  • rare phenomenon(稀罕现象)
  • porridge(稀饭)
  • rare earth(稀土)

Idioms

  • As rare as morning stars and scarce as phoenix feathers(凤毛麟角)
  • A rare guest from afar(稀客)
  • Extremely rare and precious(稀世之宝)
  • Rare and strange(稀奇古怪)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese culture, rarity often implies value and preciousness.
  • The character appears in scientific terms like 'rare earth' (稀土), important in modern technology.
  • Used in culinary context for thin porridge (稀饭), a common breakfast food.

FAQ