稀 xī — diluted; sparse
天上的星星稀稀疏疏，只有几颗。Tiān shàng de xīng xing xī xī shū shū, zhǐ yǒu jǐ kē.The stars in the sky are sparse, only a few.
Common words: 珍稀 (zhēn xī)、稀罕 (xī han)、稀奇 (xī qí)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "sparse"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "sparse", including 稀 (xī), 疏 (shū). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words, and examples.
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "sparse" covers 2 different Chinese characters — 稀 (xī), 疏 (shū) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 2 characters do not share a sound — their readings span xī, shū — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 稀 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 稀 xīdiluted; sparseUseful words: 珍稀, 稀罕
- 疏 shūnegligent; sparse; thinUseful words: 疏忽, 生疏
Common words for these 2 "sparse" characters
Anchor each of these 2 characters in a word you can picture — start with 稀 (xī) — so "sparse" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
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 2 ways to say "sparse".
疏 shū — negligent; sparse; thin
学习时不能粗心，更不能疏忽大意。Xué xí shí bù néng cū xīn, gèng bù néng shū hu dà yì.When studying, you must not be careless or negligent.
Common words: 疏忽 (shū hu)、生疏 (shēng shū)、疏散 (shū sǎn)
All 2 characters
Open 稀、疏 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.