細 (xì) - Fine, thin, slender & detailed, meticulous

細Tone 4

xì ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

万响

細 · xì

Fine, thin, slender;

detailed, meticulous;

in small particles;

delicate, exquisite;

minor, trivial.

Fine, thin, slenderdetailed, meticulousin small particles

Usage highlights

DetailedCareful, meticulousFine, exquisiteThin, slenderCellTrivial matter

Synonyms

  • 微— tiny, minute
  • 小— small
  • 精— refined, precise

Antonyms

  • 粗— coarse, rough, thick
  • 大— big, large

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • She has fine, delicate features (細緻的五官).
  • Please provide detailed information (詳細信息).
  • The thread is very thin (細線).
  • He is a careful and meticulous person (細心的人).

Collocations

  • Detailed(詳細)
  • Careful, meticulous(細心)
  • Fine, exquisite(細緻)
  • Thin, slender(細長)
  • Cell(細胞)
  • Trivial matter(細事)

Idioms

  • To go into details(細說從頭)
  • Fine workmanship resulting from slow work(慢工出細活)
  • To observe meticulously(明察秋毫之末)
  • And the tender shoots grow(細細萌芽)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese aesthetics, '細' (xì) is associated with refinement, delicacy, and careful craftsmanship.
  • The character embodies a cultural value placed on attention to detail and thoroughness.
  • It contrasts with '粗' (cū - coarse, rough), representing a fundamental dichotomy in quality and approach.

FAQ