至少
HSK 4 (exam 2025)HSK 3 (2021)Old HSK 4
至少 (zhìshǎo) · at least
至少 (zhìshǎo) means “at least”. It is written with 2 characters: 至 (reach) + 少 (few). It is an HSK 4 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
How 至少 is built
The characters
至 zhì · reach
What 至 is made of
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 厶sī — private
- 土tǔ — earth
- 十 — ten
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 十 — ten
Origin hint: A bird alighting on the ground 土 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
少 shǎo · few
What 少 is made of
- 小xiǎo — small
- 亅 — hook
- 八bā — eight
- 丿 — falling stroke
Origin hint: Grains of sand; 小 provides the pronunciation and meaning (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
每天至少要喝八杯水。Měitiān zhìshǎo yào hē bā bēi shuǐ.You should drink at least eight glasses of water a day.
去机场至少要一个小时。Qù jīchǎng zhìshǎo yào yī gè xiǎoshí.It takes at least an hour to get to the airport.
Questions about 至少
What does 至少 mean?
至少 (zhìshǎo) means “at least”.
How do you pronounce 至少?
至少 is pronounced zhìshǎo.
Which HSK level is 至少?
至少 is in HSK 4 (exam 2025) and HSK 3 (2021) and Old HSK 4.
Related words
- 至今zhìjīnso far
- 甚至shènzhìeven
- 至于zhìyúas for
- 截至jiézhìup to
- 无微不至wúwēibùzhìmeticulously
- 以至yǐzhìdown to
- 多少duōshaohow many
- 不少bùshǎomany
- 青少年qīngshàoniánteenager
- 少数shǎoshùfew
Learn 至少 with its group
It is part of HSK 3 (2021) · Group 38: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.