么 ma / me / yāo — (interrog. part.); (interrog. suff.); one on dice; small
你想吃什么？Nǐ xiǎng chī shén me?What do you want to eat?
Common words: 什么 (shén me)、怎么 (zěn me)、怎么样 (zěn me yàng)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "small"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "small", including 么 (ma / me / yāo), 小 (xiǎo), 区 (qū / ōu), 铃 (líng). Study pinyin, English meanings…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "small" covers 4 different Chinese characters — 么 (ma / me / yāo), 小 (xiǎo), 区 (qū / ōu), 铃 (líng) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 4 characters do not share a sound — their readings span ma, me, yāo, xiǎo, qū, ōu, and more — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 么 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 么 ma / me / yāo(interrog. part.); (interrog. suff.); one on dice; smallUseful words: 什么, 怎么
- 小 xiǎosmall; tiny; few; youngUseful words: 小时, 小姐
- 区 qū / ōuOu (surname); area; region; district; small; distinguishUseful words: 地区, 区别
- 铃 líng(small) bellUseful words: 铃声, 门铃
Common words for these 4 "small" characters
Anchor each of these 4 characters in a word you can picture — start with 么 (ma / me / yāo) — so "small" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
什么shén mewhat?; something; anything怎么zěn mehow?; what?; why?怎么样zěn me yànghow?; how about?; how was it?; how are things?小时xiǎo shíhour小姐xiǎo jieyoung lady; miss; (slang) prostitute小学xiǎo xuéelementary school; primary school地区dì qūregion; area (informal or geographical term); prefecture (in China's administrative system)区别qū biédifference; to distinguish; to discriminate; to make a distinction小区xiǎo qūhousing estate; community; neighborhood; (telecommunications) cell铃声líng shēngring; ringtone; bell stroke; tintinnabulation
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 4 ways to say "small".
小 xiǎo — small; tiny; few; young
这只小猫很可爱。Zhè zhī xiǎo māo hěn kě ài.This little cat is very cute.
Common words: 小时 (xiǎo shí)、小姐 (xiǎo jie)、小学 (xiǎo xué)
区 qū / ōu — Ou (surname); area; region; district; small; distinguish
我住在城市的东区。Wǒ zhù zài chéng shì de dōng qū.I live in the east district of the city.
Common words: 地区 (dì qū)、区别 (qū bié)、小区 (xiǎo qū)
铃 líng — (small) bell
上课铃一响，同学们就回到了座位上。Shàng kè líng yì xiǎng, tóng xué men jiù huí dào le zuò wèi shàng.As soon as the class bell rang, the students returned to their seats.
Common words: 铃声 (líng shēng)、门铃 (mén líng)、杠铃 (gàng líng)
All 4 characters
Open 么、小、区 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.