Meaning of 小于
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- less than, <
How to use 小于
小于 is common in math, science, statistics and formal writing to compare numbers or amounts. It sits between the two things being compared, just like the symbol. Example: 三小于五。(Sān xiǎoyú wǔ.) Three is less than five.
小于 is built from 小 (xiǎo) small and 于 (yú) than or compared to. Read it literally as "small compared to" and you have the meaning of the < sign.
Common mistake: Learners often use 小于 for everyday comparisons of people or things, like 他小于我 for "he is younger than me." In daily speech say 他比我小 (tā bǐ wǒ xiǎo) and keep 小于 for numbers and formal comparisons.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
小 xiǎo · small · 3 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
于 yú · to go · 3 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
Related words
Words that share a character with 小于.
| 小姐 | xiǎojiě | young lady; miss |
| 小时 | xiǎoshí | hour |
| 小朋友 | xiǎopéngyǒu | child; kid (used to refer to a child, or by an adult to address a child, or, in Taiwan, to |
| 小学 | xiǎoxué | elementary school; primary school |
| 小孩儿 | xiǎoháir | erhua variant of 小孩[xiao3 hai2] |
| 小学生 | xiǎoxuéshēng | primary school student; schoolchild |
| 小心 | xiǎoxīn | to be careful; to take care |
| 小时候 | xiǎoshíhou | in one's childhood |
| 小组 | xiǎozǔ | group |
| 小说 | xiǎoshuō | novel; fiction |
| 大小 | dàxiǎo | large and small; size |
| 从小 | cóngxiǎo | from childhood; from a young age |
Questions about 小于
What does 小于 mean?
小于 (xiǎoyú) means "less than, <" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 小于?
小于 is made of 2 characters: 小 (3 strokes), 于 (3 strokes). That is 6 strokes in total.
Is 小于 an HSK word?
Yes. 小于 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 小于 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 小于 is written 小於.
How do I say "greater than" and "less than or equal to" in Chinese?
"Greater than" is 大于 (dàyú). "Less than or equal to" is 小于等于 (xiǎoyú děngyú) or, more formally, 不大于 (bú dàyú).
What is the difference between 小于 and 少于?
小于 compares values or sizes in general, as in math. 少于 (shǎoyú) means "fewer than" and is used for quantities or counts, such as 少于十个人 (fewer than ten people).