小气
Old HSK 5
小气 (xiǎoqi) · stingy
小气 (xiǎoqi) means “stingy; petty; narrow-minded”. It is written with 2 characters: 小 (small) + 气 (air). It is an old HSK 5 word (HSK 2.0).
How 小气 is built
The characters
小 xiǎo · small
What 小 is made of
- 亅 — hook
- 八bā — eight
Origin hint: Dividing 八 by a line 亅 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
气 qì · air
What 气 is made of
- 亻rén — person
Origin hint: A person 亻 breathing air (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
他太小气了，从来不请客。Tā tài xiǎoqi le, cónglái bù qǐngkè.He's so stingy, he never treats anyone.
别这么小气，这只是一件小事。Bié zhème xiǎoqi, zhè zhǐshì yī jiàn xiǎoshì.Don't be so petty, it's just a small thing.
Questions about 小气
What does 小气 mean?
小气 (xiǎoqi) means “stingy; petty; narrow-minded”.
How do you pronounce 小气?
小气 is pronounced xiǎoqi.
Which HSK level is 小气?
小气 is in Old HSK 5.
Related words
- 小孩儿xiǎoháirchild
- 小姐xiǎojieMiss
- 小朋友xiǎopéngyǒuchild
- 小时xiǎoshíhour
- 小学xiǎoxuéprimary school
- 小学生xiǎoxuéshēngprimary school student
- 从小cóngxiǎofrom childhood
- 大小dàxiǎosize
- 小声xiǎoshēngin a low voice
- 小时候xiǎoshíhouin one's childhood
Learn 小气 with its group
It is part of Old HSK 5 · Group 105: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.