TENUOUS    微小

UNIMPORTANT BECAUSE LACKING BIGNESS, REALITY, OR HIGH DEGREE.
SLIGHTINSUBSTANTIALMEAGERFLIMSYWEAKDOUBTFULDUBIOUSQUESTIONABLESUSPECTVAGUENEBULOUSHAZYFINETHINSLENDERDELICATEWISPYGOSSAMERFRAGILE
Old Chinese Criteria
1. The most current word for what is literally insubstantial and slight is xì 細. 2. Wēi 微 refers to subtlety predominantly in transferred figurative senses. 3. Báo 薄 (ant. hòu 厚 "substantial") refers to anything thin or slight.
Modern Chinese Criteria
渺小 藐小 么麼 不起眼 看不上眼 不足道 渺不足道 微不足道 不在話下 不值一提 不屑一顧 不足掛齒 不足齒數 無足輕重 一文不值 一錢不值 半文不值 滄海一粟 太倉一粟 太倉稊米 九牛一毛 first rough draft to identify synonym group members for future analysis, based on CL. 18.11.2003. CH
Hyponym
  • THINnew-16fab362-ec99-4438-bab3-62ec99543835　SMALL in the MOST SMALL DIMENSION. (anc: 9/0, child: 1)
Antonym
  • ABUNDANTHAVE OR BE INTENSELY MANY, TYPICALLY DESIRED, THINGS. 
  • COARSETHICK BECAUSE CONTAIING THICK PARTS.
  • GREATBIG in IMPORTANCE OR REPUTATION.
  • HUGEINTENSELY BIG.
See also
  • WEAKLACK STRENGTH.
Hypernym
  • UNIMPORTANT　LACK IMPORTANCE. (anc: 7/0, child: 2)
  • LACK　SITUATION OF NOT HAVING, OR NOT to BEING-IN the UNIVERSE. (anc: 6/0, child: 48)
  • SITUATION　RELATION in which MANY HUMANS, FEATURES OR THINGS EXIST TOGETHER OR INTERACT. (anc: 5/0, child: 11)
  • Vocabulaire européen des philosophies. Dictionnaire des intraduisibles ( CASSIN 2004) p. 1231

  • “荀子”單音節形容詞同義關係研究 ( HUANG XIAODONG 2003) p. 205

  • SYNONYMES FRANÇOIS, LEURS DIFFÉRENTES SIGNIFICATIONS, ET LE CHOIX QU'IL EN FAUT FAIRE Pour parler avec justesse ( GIRARD 1769) p. 1.293.251

    FIN.SUBTIL.DELIE

  • 古漢語常用詞同義詞詞典 ( HONG CHENGYU 2009) p. 530

    • Words (27 items)

    微  wēi OC: mɯl MC: mɨi 27 Attributions

    Wēi 微 refers to subtlety predominantly in transferred figurative senses.

      Syntactic words
    • nabsubjectsubtle motives; subtle beginnings of things; subtle points
    • v[adN]figurativeliterary: what is sublime; the effect of the sublimeCH
    • vadNfigurativesubtle, having a light touch, subtle and profound; BUDDH: of subtle significance for salvation
    • vadNmathematical termCHEMLA 2003:
    • vadVsubtly, without drawing attention to what one is doing
    • vibe subtle, neither non-existent and ineffectual nor palpable and perceivable
    • vifigurativebe subtleCH
    • vpostadVsubtly, with small movements
    薄  báo OC: baaɡ MC: bɑk 9 Attributions

    Báo 薄 (ant. hòu 厚 "substantial") refers to anything thin or slight.

      Word relations
    • Ant: 厚/ABUNDANT Hòu 厚 (ant. báo 薄 "meagerly supplied with something") primarily refers to man-made or man-caused generous abundance, prototypically in contexts such as hospitality or exchange of presents. >>ARTIFICIAL
    • Ant: 渥/ABUNDANT Wò 渥 (ant. báo 薄 "not very abundant, poorly supplied with liquid or vital energy etc.") typically refers to an abundance of liquids or gases.
    • Ant: 厚/ABUNDANT Hòu 厚 (ant. báo 薄 "meagerly supplied with something") primarily refers to man-made or man-caused generous abundance, prototypically in contexts such as hospitality or exchange of presents. >>ARTIFICIAL
    • Ant: 高/SUPERIOR
    • Contrast: 寡/LITTLE The standard word for a small quantity of some stuff is guǎ 寡.
    • Contrast: 少/LITTLE Shǎo 少 can also be used to a small quantity of stuff.
    • Contrast: 疏/DISTANT Shū 疏 (ant. qīn 親 "close") often refers to distance of relation in a more than purely physical sense.
    • Assoc: 靡/TENUOUS

      Syntactic words
    • vadNfigurativeslight (punishments, crimes etc)
    • vibe weak, insufficient
    • vichangebecome less articulate, less bold, less distinctCH
    • vpostadVat an insubstantion less than generous levelCH
    • vtoNcausativemake tenuous, thin out (poison)
    • vtoNcausativecause to make more insubstantial
    細  xì OC: snɯɯs MC: sei 9 Attributions

    The most current word for what is literally insubstantial and slight is xì 細.

      Word relations
    • Ant: 大/BIG The general word is dà 大 (ant. xiǎo 小 "small").

      Syntactic words
    • nsubjectwhat is tenuous> a tenuous instance; what is tenuous or insubstantial;
    • vadNfine and tenuous; slight, insubstantial
    • vadNmathematical termCHEMLA 2003:
    • vibe fine and tenuous; slight
    • viderivedlow (of a voice)DS
    • viderivedlow (of a voice)DS
    • vifigurativebe fine and subtle
    微妙  wēi miào OC: mɯl mews MC: mɨi miɛu 5 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NPabfeaturesuperb subtlety
    • VP[adN]subtle things
    • VPadNintensitivevery subtle
    • VPadVin a very subtle way
    • VPibe subtle and superb
    精  jīng OC: tseŋ MC: tsiɛŋ 5 Attributions

      Word relations
    • Ant: 粗 / 麤/COARSE The dominant word for anything physically or otherwise coarsE and not fine or subtle is cū 粗/麤 (ant. xì 細 "fine" and jīng 精"subtle and exquisite"). See also ORDINARY
    • Epithet: 氣/ENERGY The most general current word for material vital cosmic energies of any kind is qì 氣.
    • Epithet: 氣/COSMIC FORCE The most general term for physical principles operative in the dynamics of natural processes is qì 氣.
    • Assoc: 微/TENUOUS Wēi 微 refers to subtlety predominantly in transferred figurative senses.
    • Oppos: 粗 / 麤/COARSE The dominant word for anything physically or otherwise coarsE and not fine or subtle is cū 粗/麤 (ant. xì 細 "fine" and jīng 精"subtle and exquisite"). See also ORDINARY

      Syntactic words
    • nabfigurativephilosophical: subtle abstractness (as opposed to coarse material reality); sublime higher realityCH
    • v[adN]a tenuous thing
    • vadNtenuous, subtle, fine
    • vadNfigurativesubtle, sublimeCH
    • vibe subtle, be fine
    小者  xiǎo zhě OC: smewʔ kljaʔ MC: siɛu tɕɣɛ 3 Attributions

      Syntactic words
    • NPadSin the less serious case
    精微  jīng wēi OC: tseŋ mɯl MC: tsiɛŋ mɨi 3 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VP[adN]subtle matters (for consideration)
    • VPibe powerfully subtleCH
    纖  xiān OC: sem MC: siɛm 3 Attributions

      Word relations
    • Contrast: 微/TENUOUS Wēi 微 refers to subtlety predominantly in transferred figurative senses.
    • Assoc: 介/SMALL
    • Assoc: 微/TENUOUS Wēi 微 refers to subtlety predominantly in transferred figurative senses.

      Syntactic words
    • vadNtenuous
    • vi.red:adNvery delicate
    • vigradedbe thin and fine 甚纖
    小  xiǎo OC: smewʔ MC: siɛu 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vadVslightly, to a small extent
    • visubject=nonhumanbe meticulous and cautious (of mind, attitude)LZ
    芥  jiè OC: kreeds MC: kɣɛi 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • nabfigurativea trifle
    蔑  miè OC: meed MC: met 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • nabfeaturepuny size, negligeable size
    細滑  xì huá OC: snɯɯs ɡruud MC: sei ɦɣɛt 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPibe delicate
    纖介  xiān jiè OC: sem kreeds MC: siɛm kɣɛi 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • NPadN(not) the slightest
    纖微  xiān wēi OC: sem mɯl MC: siɛm mɨi 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPadNvery tenuous, very slight
    細軟  xì ruǎn OC: snɯɯs njonʔ MC: sei ȵiɛn 1 Attribution

      Word relations
    • Ant: 粗 / 麤/COARSE The dominant word for anything physically or otherwise coarsE and not fine or subtle is cū 粗/麤 (ant. xì 細 "fine" and jīng 精"subtle and exquisite"). See also ORDINARY

      Syntactic words
    • VPichangebecome fine and soft
    纖芥  xiān jiè OC: sem kreeds MC: siɛm kɣɛi 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPadN(not have) the slightest (NP)
    少  shǎo OC: hmljewʔ MC: ɕiɛu 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • vadNtenuous
    幾  jī OC: kɯl MC: kɨi 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • viLY 4.18, according to Bao Xian commentary: subtly, in a subtle manner that does not offend
    戲  xì OC: qhras MC: hiɛ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • nabfactualinconsequential affairs, inconsequential plaything
    虛  xū OC: qhla MC: hi̯ɤ 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • visubtle, imponderable; insubstantial
    靡  mǐ OC: mralʔ MC: miɛ 0 Attributions

      Word relations
    • Assoc: 薄/TENUOUS Báo 薄 (ant. hòu 厚 "substantial") refers to anything thin or slight.

      Syntactic words
    • vadNtenuous, slight
    飛  fēi OC: pɯl MC: pɨi 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vadNinsubstantial; unsubstantiated 蜚語, 飛語
    黍累  shǔ lěi OC: qhjaʔ rolʔ MC: ɕi̯ɤ liɛ 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VPifigurativebe very subtle and delicate
    毿  sān OC: suum MC: səm 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vi.redpoeticlong and fine (like feathers) > fuzzy
    豪氂  háo máo OC: ɡoow moow MC: ɦɑu mɑu 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VPifigurativebe very subtle and fine
    泊  bó OC: blaaɡ MC: bɑk 0 Attributions

      Syntactic words
    • vibe thin
    濛  méng OC: mooŋ MC: muŋ 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vi.redbe tenous and fine