siu2小
Jyutpingsiu2
Yalesíu
Definition
Small, little, minor, or lesser; the opposite of big.
colloquialdescriptions
How it's used
While 小 exists as a morpheme in compound words like 小學 or 小心, it is rarely used as a standalone adjective in spoken Cantonese. Native speakers almost exclusively use 細 to describe physical size or age. Using 小 in casual conversation to mean small can sound overly formal, literary, or like a direct translation from Mandarin.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use 小 to describe the size of objects or people, which sounds unnatural. Always prefer 細 for physical size and age, reserving 小 for specific fixed expressions or formal vocabulary.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
