稍 (shāo) - Slightly, a little & somewhat

稍Tone 1

shāo ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

上姝

稍 · shāo

Slightly, a little;

somewhat;

rather;

for a short time;

a moment.

Slightly, a littlesomewhatrather

Usage highlights

Wait a momentSlightly betterA little laterSomewhat differentRather expensiveA bit slow

Synonyms

  • 略— slightly, briefly
  • 微— slightly, faintly
  • 小— a little, small amount

Antonyms

  • 很— very, quite
  • 极— extremely
  • 甚— very, extremely

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Please wait a moment (稍等).
  • The weather is slightly cold (天气稍冷).
  • The price is a bit expensive (价格稍贵).
  • He improved somewhat (他稍有进步).

Collocations

  • Wait a moment(稍等)
  • Slightly better(稍好)
  • A little later(稍后)
  • Somewhat different(稍有不同)
  • Rather expensive(稍贵)
  • A bit slow(稍慢)

Idioms

  • Slightly inferior(稍逊一筹)
  • A slight difference(稍有不一)
  • Wait a moment(稍安勿躁)
  • Slightly better(稍胜一筹)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Used to express moderation and restraint in Chinese communication style.
  • Common in polite requests to soften demands or instructions.
  • Reflects the cultural value of indirectness and humility in speech.

FAQ