small

Origin & mnemonic

The small radical originates from a pictograph representing three tiny objects placed close together or three grains of millet, gradually becoming an abstract symbol for the concept of smallness.

Mnemonic: Three small strokes stacked vertically like tiny millet grains symbolize "small".

• 尚shàng🔊

  still

  HSK 7

  8 strokes

• 尙shàng🔊

  variant of 尚, still

  8 strokes

• 尝cháng🔊

  to taste; to try (food)

  HSK 5

  9 strokes

• 尜gá🔊

  toy formed of a spindle with two sharp ends

  9 strokes