FEW  少少

SMALL in QUANTITY.
NOT MANYHARDLY ANYSCARCELY ANYA SMALL NUMBER OFA SMALL AMOUNT OFONE OR TWOA HANDFUL OFLITTLE
Antonym
  • ABUNDANTHAVE OR BE INTENSELY MANY, TYPICALLY DESIRED, THINGS. 
    • MANYBIG in QUANTITY.
      Hypernym
      • QUANTITYDEGREE of being MANY OR FEW that CAN be MEASURED OR COUNTED.
        • DEGREEFEATURE of MORE or LESS.
          • FEATUREABSTRACT OBJECT a THING is SAID to BE OR to HAVE.
            • OBJECT[NO HYPERNYM.] WHAT one CAN NAME:refer to....
      See also
      • REDUCECHANGE something so as to CAUSE it to BECOME MORE FEW:fewer.
        • LITTLESMALL in QUANTITY of a SUBSTANCE.
          Hyponym
          • RARE　HAPPEN FEW TIMES ONLY.
            • STRANGE　FEW:rare AND NOT EXPECTED.
              • EXOTIC　STRANGE AND CAUSING INTENSE CURIOSITY AND INTEREST.
              • EERY　STRANGE SO AS TO CAUSE ABSTRACT FEAR AND WORRY.
            • INSUFFICIENT　FEW OR LITTLE IN-RELATION-TO what is NEEDED.
              Old Chinese Criteria
              1. The current general word referring to the relatively small number or the small amount of something is shǎo 少 (ant. duō 多 "many, much").

              2. Guǎ 寡 (ant. zhòng 眾 "numerous" and occasionally also duō 多 "large in quantity") typically refers specifically humans not being numerous as opposed to larger groups of humans, but the word comes to refer also to any quantity being relatively large ( 五穀多寡 "the relative abundance of grain") and I have not found a systematic difference in nuance with shǎo 少 when the word is so used, except for the generally subjective intuition that guǎ 寡 being the dominant word in early times, perhaps retained a somewhat more dignified stylistic value throughout.

              3. Fá 乏 and kuì 匱 (ant. zú 足 "enough") refer specifically to the shortage of something one definitely needs more of.

              4. Xī 希 / 稀 and the more archaic xiǎn 鮮 refers to sparsity of distribution.

              5. Jiǎn 減 (ant. zēng 增 "increase") refers specifically to the reduction of the amount of the number of something. See also DIMINISH.

              Modern Chinese Criteria
              少

              微少

              個別

              零星

              點滴

              稀

              寡

              鮮

              半點

              無幾

              有數

              有限

              一二

              三五

              區區

              半點

              些個

              些子

              些些

              一絲

              紋絲

              一星兒

              星星

              少許

              些須

              些許

              幾希

              蠅頭

              戔戔

              一點點

              點兒

              一點兒

              一些兒

              這麼點兒

              那麼點兒

              這麼些兒

              一丁點兒

              rough draft to BEGIN TO identify synonym group members for analysis, based on CL etc. 18.11.2003. CH ／

              Old Chinese Contrasts
              LEIBNIZ 6.4 P. 31 P a u c i t a s est multitudo parva.

              Words

              少  shǎo OC: hmljewʔ MC: ɕiɛu 62 AttributionsWD

              The current general word referring to the relatively small number or the small amount of something is shǎo 少 (ant. duō 多 "many, much").

                Word relations
              • Ant: 多/MANY The dominant word referring to numerousness and a large quantity of a stuff is duō 多 (ant. shǎo 少).
              • Ant: 眾/MANY Zhòng 眾 (ant. guǎ 寡 "few") and zhū 諸 refer to a large number of items of a certain kind.
              • Contrast: 泊/FEW
              • Synon: 寡/FEW Guǎ 寡 (ant. zhòng 眾 "numerous" and occasionally also duō 多 "large in quantity") typically refers specifically humans not being numerous as opposed to larger groups of humans, but the word comes to refer also to any quantity being relatively large (五穀多寡 "the relative abundance of grain") and I have not found a systematic difference in nuance with shǎo 少 when the word is so used, except for the generally subjective intuition that guǎ 寡 being the dominant word in early times, perhaps retained a somewhat more dignified stylistic value throughout.

                Syntactic words
              • nminority
              • nabstativeindigence, dearth
              • nmsubj=nonhumanwhat there is little of
              • nsubjectwhat is not numerous
              • v(adN)few ones of the contextually determinate kindCH
              • v[adN]few people, a small number of people
              • vad.VtoNfew objects; little of the object stuff
              • vad.VtoNreference=objectfew objects N
              • vadNa small quantity of, few
              • vadVreference=objecton a small scale> few objects; little of the object mass
              • vibe few in number; be few things; be small in quantity or amount
              • vibe in the minority (perhaps vt( prep N "be fewer than the contextually determinate N)CH
              • vichangedecrease
              • vigradedthere are few; be few　甚少
              • vt+prep+Ngradedbe fewer than
              • vt0oN{SUBJ}rare: there are few of 少人 "there are few people"
              • vtoNhave few
              • vtoNcausativecause to be few> reduce; pretend that a number is small
              寡  guǎ OC: kʷraaʔ MC: kɣɛ 48 AttributionsWD

              Guǎ 寡 (ant. zhòng 眾 "numerous" and occasionally also duō 多 "large in quantity") typically refers specifically humans not being numerous as opposed to larger groups of humans, but the word comes to refer also to any quantity being relatively large (五穀多寡 "the relative abundance of grain") and I have not found a systematic difference in nuance with shǎo 少 when the word is so used, except for the generally subjective intuition that guǎ 寡 being the dominant word in early times, perhaps retained a somewhat more dignified stylistic value throughout.

                Word relations
              • Ant: 劇/MANY
              • Ant: 多/MANY The dominant word referring to numerousness and a large quantity of a stuff is duō 多 (ant. shǎo 少).
              • Ant: 多/MANY The dominant word referring to numerousness and a large quantity of a stuff is duō 多 (ant. shǎo 少).
              • Ant: 多/MANY The dominant word referring to numerousness and a large quantity of a stuff is duō 多 (ant. shǎo 少).
              • Ant: 眾/MANY Zhòng 眾 (ant. guǎ 寡 "few") and zhū 諸 refer to a large number of items of a certain kind.
              • Synon: 少/FEW The current general word referring to the relatively small number or the small amount of something is shǎo 少 (ant. duō 多 "many, much").
              • Synon: 希/FEW Xī 希/稀 and the more archaic xiǎn 鮮 refers to sparsity of distribution.
              • Synon: 省/FEW
              • Synon: 鮮/FEW Xī 希/稀 and the more archaic xiǎn 鮮 refers to sparsity of distribution.

                Syntactic words
              • n[adN]nonreferentialthose who are fewer> the minority
              • nabstativeshortage, dearth of things; small number
              • v[adN]the current minority
              • vigradedbe few; be scarce; be in a minority
              • vtoNbe poor in N; have little NCH
              • vtoNcausativecause to be few
              鮮  xiǎn OC: sqenʔ MC: siɛn 28 AttributionsWD

              Xī 希/稀 and the more archaic xiǎn 鮮 refers to sparsity of distribution.

                Word relations
              • Ant: 多/MANY The dominant word referring to numerousness and a large quantity of a stuff is duō 多 (ant. shǎo 少).
              • Synon: 寡/FEW Guǎ 寡 (ant. zhòng 眾 "numerous" and occasionally also duō 多 "large in quantity") typically refers specifically humans not being numerous as opposed to larger groups of humans, but the word comes to refer also to any quantity being relatively large (五穀多寡 "the relative abundance of grain") and I have not found a systematic difference in nuance with shǎo 少 when the word is so used, except for the generally subjective intuition that guǎ 寡 being the dominant word in early times, perhaps retained a somewhat more dignified stylistic value throughout.
              • Oppos: 未之有/NEVER

                Syntactic words
              • nprosubjectarchaic: few (opp 靡不 "all")
              • npro{OBJ}+Vtfew of the objects
              • vielevated style?: be few and far between; be sparse, be scarce, be few; be a rare case 不鮮 "be not so few"; 天下鮮矣 "there are few under the sun".
              • vtoNhave little of; be short of
              • vtoNobject=preposedhave little of
              匱  guì OC: ɡruds MC: gi 16 AttributionsWD

              Fá 乏 and kuì 匱 (ant. zú 足 "enough") refer specifically to the shortage of something one definitely needs more of.

                Word relations
              • Assoc: 窮/EXHAUST Qióng 窮 and dān 殫 focusses on the result of exhausting resources as being the absence of these resources.

                Syntactic words
              • nabfeaturescarcity of resources
              • vibe deficient, be in short supply 財匱
              • vi0there is insufficiency of resources
              省  shěng OC: sraaŋʔ MC: ʂɣaŋ 13 AttributionsWD

                Word relations
              • Synon: 寡/FEW Guǎ 寡 (ant. zhòng 眾 "numerous" and occasionally also duō 多 "large in quantity") typically refers specifically humans not being numerous as opposed to larger groups of humans, but the word comes to refer also to any quantity being relatively large (五穀多寡 "the relative abundance of grain") and I have not found a systematic difference in nuance with shǎo 少 when the word is so used, except for the generally subjective intuition that guǎ 寡 being the dominant word in early times, perhaps retained a somewhat more dignified stylistic value throughout.

                Syntactic words
              • vibe sparse, be economical; be no more than necessary in number
              • vtoNcausativecause to become few: reduce
              • vtoNmiddle voicebe used sparinglyCH
              希  xī OC: qhlɯl MC: hɨi 11 AttributionsWD

              Xī 希/稀 and the more archaic xiǎn 鮮 refers to sparsity of distribution.

                Word relations
              • Epithet: 有/EXIST The standard word for existence is yǒu 有.
              • Synon: 寡/FEW Guǎ 寡 (ant. zhòng 眾 "numerous" and occasionally also duō 多 "large in quantity") typically refers specifically humans not being numerous as opposed to larger groups of humans, but the word comes to refer also to any quantity being relatively large (五穀多寡 "the relative abundance of grain") and I have not found a systematic difference in nuance with shǎo 少 when the word is so used, except for the generally subjective intuition that guǎ 寡 being the dominant word in early times, perhaps retained a somewhat more dignified stylistic value throughout.

                Syntactic words
              • vadNrare, sparse
              • vadVrarely, in few cases; seldom
              • vibe sparse, rare; be rarely exposed to
              • vpostadVa little??
              • vtoNbe rarely exposed to
              一二  yī èr OC: qliɡ njis MC: ʔit ȵi 8 AttributionsWD
                Syntactic words
              • NPa few
              • NP{NUM}(+N)a few of the contextually determinate things N
              • VPadNa few
              些子  xiē zǐ OC: slal sklɯʔ MC: sɣɛ tsɨ 4 AttributionsWD
                Syntactic words
              • NPpostadVof small quantity; a little
              • VPadNquantifiercolloquial: some, a few
              • VPicolloquial: be something, be a little amount
              乏  fá OC: bob MC: bi̯ɐp 3 AttributionsWD

              Fá 乏 and kuì 匱 (ant. zú 足 "enough") refer specifically to the shortage of something one definitely needs more of.

                Syntactic words
              • vadNlacking, insufficient
              • vibe in short supply, be in insufficient supply
              些  xiē OC: slal MC: sɣɛ 1 AttributionWD
                Syntactic words
              • vadNcolloquialsome, a few
              減  jiǎn OC: kroomʔ MC: kɣɛm 1 AttributionWD

              Jiǎn 減 (ant. zēng 增 "increase") refers specifically to the reduction of the amount of the number of something. See also DIMINISH.

                Syntactic words
              • vt+prep+Nless than N
              • vtoNcausative(cause to be less>) reduce
              • vtoNgradedbe less than
              蹙  cù OC: sklɯwɡ MC: tsuk 1 AttributionWD
                Syntactic words
              • vtoNpress > compress > reduce
              三五  sān wǔ OC: saam ŋaaʔ MC: sɑm ŋuo̝ 1 AttributionWD
                Syntactic words
              • VPadNthree five > a few, several
              不多  bù duō OC: pɯʔ k-laal MC: pi̯ut tɑ 1 AttributionWD
                Syntactic words
              • VPibe few; be little
              兩三  liǎng sān OC: raŋʔ saam MC: li̯ɐŋ sɑm 1 AttributionWD
                Syntactic words
              • VPadNtwo three > several, a few
              匱乏  guì fá OC: ɡruds bob MC: gi bi̯ɐp 1 AttributionWD
                Syntactic words
              • VPiintensitivebe in very sort supply; be in every way in short supply
              落  luò MC: lak OC: ɡ-raaɡCH 1 AttributionWD
                Syntactic words
              • viinchoativebecome fewerCH
              寥  liáo OC: ɡ-rɯɯw MC: leu 0 AttributionsWD
                Syntactic words
              • vifew, scanty
              尟  xiǎn OC: senʔ MC: siɛn 0 AttributionsWD
                Syntactic words
              • vifew; rare (YI)
              殺  shài OC: sreeds MC: ʂɣɛi 0 AttributionsWD

                Word relations
              • Ant: 豐 / 酆/ABUNDANT Fēng 豐 (ant.*qiàn 歉 "poor natural harvest") refers primarily to the natural abundance of some feature or resource, but in elevated archaic discourse the word may also refer to abundance of sacrifice and the like. The rare fēng 丰 was not homophonous in ancient times, and the meaning emphasises beauty as well as abundance. [NATURAL!]

                Syntactic words
              • viexcessiveshài: be scanty, be too few
              泊  bó OC: blaaɡ MC: bɑk 0 AttributionsWD

                Word relations
              • Contrast: 少/FEW The current general word referring to the relatively small number or the small amount of something is shǎo 少 (ant. duō 多 "many, much").

                Syntactic words
              • vibe scant
              稍  shāo OC: smreewɡs MC: ʂɣɛu 0 AttributionsWD
                Syntactic words
              • vibe little; few
              稀  xī OC: qhlɯl MC: hɨi 0 AttributionsWD

              Xī 希/稀 and the more archaic xiǎn 鮮 refers to sparsity of distribution.

                Syntactic words
              • vibe few and far between; thin on the ground, sparse; rare

              Existing SW for

              Here are Syntactic Words already defined in the database:

                Searching Wikidata

                Type: