# 少

| 少 | U+5C11, &#23569; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5C11 |
| ← 尐 [U+5C10] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 尒 → [U+5C12] |

## Translingual
### Alternative forms

* Note that in Japanese Kanji, Korean Hanja and Vietnamese Nom, the middle stroke of the top component 小 is written 亅 with a hook whereas in modern Chinese scripts the middle stroke is written 丨 with no downward hook.

### Han character

少 (Kangxi radical 42, 小+1, 4 strokes, cangjie input 火竹 (FH), four-corner 9020$_0$, composition ⿱𡭔丿(GT) or ⿱小丿(HJKV))

#### Derived characters

* 仯, 吵, 妙, 㠺, 抄, 沙, 杪, 炒, 䏚, 玅, 眇, 砂, 秒, 竗, 粆, 紗(纱), 耖, 䖢, 觘, 訬, 䟞, 鈔(钞), 䩖, 尠, 㝺, 魦(𫚌), 麨(𪎊), 㝻
* 赻, 尟, 䒚, 歩, 䯯, 劣, 毟, 省, 雀, 㝹, 䲵, 隲, 蠽
* 𡭱, 𨈘, 𡮓, 𡮘, 𩚙, 𩡾, 𩨡, 𡮞, 𣻾, 𡮩, 𡮳, 𡂌
* 𠃣, 𩖥, 𩲎, 𠚺, 𨙹, 𣢒, 𬆠, 𨚈, 𨤢, 𪨄, 𡮹
* 𡵯, 𣲦, 𠀰, 𡭲, 𡭺, 𡮯, 𡮗

#### References

* Kangxi Dictionary: page 296, character 20
* Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 7475
* Dae Jaweon: page 590, character 2
* Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 561, character 2
* Unihan data for U+5C11

## Chinese
### Glyph origin

* Historical forms of the character 少
* Shang
* Oracle bone script
| | Old Chinese |
| 觘 | *sm̥ʰreːw, *sm̥ʰreːws |
| 抄 | *sm̥ʰreːw, *sm̥ʰreːws |
| 鈔 | *sm̥ʰreːw, *sm̥ʰreːws |
| 訬 | *sm̥ʰreːw, *mewʔ |
| 炒 | *sʰroːʔ |
| 吵 | *sm̥ʰreːwʔ, *mewʔ |
| 耖 | *sm̥ʰreːws |
| 仯 | *sm̥ʰreːws |
| 眇 | *mewʔ |
| 渺 | *mewʔ |
| 杪 | *mewʔ |
| 秒 | *mewʔ |
| 篎 | *mewʔ, *mews |
| 妙 | *mews |
| 玅 | *mews |
| 釥 | *sm̥ʰewʔ |
| 小 | *smewʔ |
| 少 | *hmjewʔ, *hmjews |
| 麨 | *m̥ʰjewʔ |
| 尠 | *senʔ, *smos |
Pictogram (象形) – four dots, perhaps three grains of sand (see 沙), to indicate "a few, a little". Phonetically borrowed from 小 (OC *smewʔ, “small”), which is depicted by three dots.
Unrelated to 步 (and hence 歲), in which the lower component is the stylization of a foot.

### Pronunciation 1

* Mandarin
    (Standard)
       (Pinyin): shǎo (shao$^3$)
       (Zhuyin): ㄕㄠˇ
    (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): sao$^4$
    (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): шо (šo, II)
* Cantonese
    (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): siu$^2$
    (Taishan, Wiktionary): siau$^2$
* Gan (Wiktionary): seu$^3$
* Hakka
    (Sixian, PFS): séu
    (Meixian, Guangdong): sau$^3$
* Jin (Wiktionary): sau$^2$
* Northern Min (KCR): siǎu
* Eastern Min (BUC): ciēu / siēu
* Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): zieo$^3$ / sieo$^3$
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): chió / siáu
    (Teochew, Peng'im): ziê$^2$ / zio$^2$
* Wu (Northern, Wugniu): $^5$sau / $^3$sau
* Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): sau$^3$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: shǎo
*** Zhuyin: ㄕㄠˇ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: shǎo
*** Wade–Giles: shao$^3$
*** Yale: shǎu
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shao
*** Palladius: шао (šao)
*** Sinological IPA : /ʂɑʊ̯²¹⁴/
** (Chengdu)
*** Sichuanese Pinyin: sao$^4$
*** Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: sao
*** Sinological IPA : /sau²¹³/
** (Dungan)
*** Cyrillic and Wiktionary: шо (šo, II)
*** Sinological IPA : /ʂɔ⁵¹/
    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: siu$^2$
*** Yale: síu
*** Cantonese Pinyin: siu$^2$
*** Guangdong Romanization: xiu$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /siːu̯³⁵/
** (Taishanese, Taicheng)
*** Wiktionary: siau$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /siau⁵⁵/
* Gan
** (Nanchang)
*** Wiktionary: seu$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /sɛu²¹³/
* Hakka
** (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: séu
*** Hakka Romanization System: seu$^ˋ$
*** Hagfa Pinyim: seu$^3$
*** Sinological IPA: /seu̯³¹/
** (Meixian)
*** Guangdong: sau$^3$
*** Sinological IPA: /sau³¹/
* Jin
** (Taiyuan)
*** Wiktionary: sau$^2$
*** Sinological IPA (old-style): /sau⁵³/
* Northern Min
** (Jian'ou)
*** Kienning Colloquial Romanized: siǎu
*** Sinological IPA : /siau²¹/
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: ciēu / siēu
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sieu³³/, /sieu³³/
* ciēu - colloquial;
* siēu - literary.
* Middle Chinese: syewX
Rime :
| Character | 少 |
| Reading # | 1/2 |
| Initial (聲) | 書 (26) |
| Final (韻) | 宵 (91) |
| Tone (調) | Rising (X) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | III |
| Fanqie | 書沼切 |
| Baxter | syewX |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /ɕiᴇu$^X$/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /ɕiɛu$^X$/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /ɕjæu$^X$/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /ɕiaw$^X$/ |
| Li Rong | /ɕiɛu$^X$/ |
| Wang Li | /ɕĭɛu$^X$/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /ɕi̯ɛu$^X$/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | shǎo |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | siu$^2$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*[s.t]ewʔ/
    (Zhengzhang): /*hmjewʔ/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 少 |
| Reading # | 1/2 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | shǎo |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ syew$^X$ › |
| Old Chinese | /*[s.t]ewʔ/ |
| English | few |
| Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary. ||
Zhengzhang system (2003) :
| Character | 少 |
| Reading # | 1/2 |
| No. | 13706 |
| Phonetic component | 小 |
| Rime group | 宵 |
| Rime subdivision | 2 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 少 |
| Old Chinese | /*hmjewʔ/ |
| Notes | 小轉註字 |
* This entry needs pronunciation information. If you are familiar with the IPA then please add some! Particularly: “Gan, Jin, Xiang, Northern Min pronunciations are missing by senses”

#### Definitions

少
* few; little in number; less; not many
       Hěn shǎo rén zhīdào shíqíng. [Pinyin]
       Very few people know the truth.
       Zhǐyǒu hěn shǎo miànbāo hé bǐnggān. [Pinyin]
       There is only very little bread and biscuits.
* weak; inadequate; insufficient
* (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) Alternative form of 小 (xiǎo, “small; tiny”)
* to lack; to be short of; to be deficient
       Wòshì lǐ shǎo yī zhī diàndēngpào. [Pinyin]
       There's a light bulb missing in the bedroom.
    少咗碗飯／少咗碗饭 [Cantonese] ― siu$^2$ zo$^2$ wun$^2$ faan$^6$ [Jyutping] ― missing a bowl of rice
       zong$^1$ siu$^2$ zo$^2$ loeng$^5$ lap$^1$ lo$^4$ si$^1$ [Jyutping]
       forgot to install two screws
* to reduce (the amount or extent); to weaken; to lose; to stop; to cease
       Tā wū lǐ shǎo le dōngxi. [Pinyin]
       He lost something in his house.
    少說廢話！／少说废话！ ― Shǎo shuō fèihuà! ― Stop chattering!
* (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) to despise; to look down; to belittle
* slightly; moderately; a little; a bit
* seldom; rarely; infrequently
       Lǎnduò de rén hěn shǎo huì chénggōng. [Pinyin]
       Lazy people seldom succeed.
* in a little while; in a moment
* (Hong Kong Cantonese, Internet slang, neologism) slightly; somewhat
    少癲／少癫 [Hong Kong Cantonese] ― siu$^2$ din$^1$ [Jyutping] ― somewhat crazy
    Antonym: 大 (daai$^6$)
    Alternative form: 小 (siu$^2$)
* 5th tetragram of the Taixuanjing (𝌊)

##### Synonyms

| Variety | Location | Words |
| Classical Chinese | Classical Chinese | 少 |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 少 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 少 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 少 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Jinan | 少 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xi'an | 少 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 少 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Wuhan | 少 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Yangzhou | 少 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Hefei | 少 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 少 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 少 |
| Cantonese | Yangjiang | 少 |
| Gan | Nanchang | 少 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 少 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 少 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 少 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 少 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 少 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 少 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 少 |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 少 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou | 少 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 少 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 少 |
| Southern Min | Jinjiang | 少 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 少 |
| Southern Min | Chaozhou | 少 |
| Southern Min | Puning | 減, 少 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 少 |
| Wu | Ningbo | 缺 |
| Wu | Wenzhou | 少 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 少 |
| Xiang | Shuangfeng | 少 |

##### Antonyms

* (antonym(s) of “few”): 多 (duō)

#### Compounds

* 不在少數 / 不在少数 (bùzàishǎoshù)
* 不多不少
* 不少 (bùshǎo)
* 以少克眾 / 以少克众
* 僧多粥少 (sēngduōzhōushǎo)
* 兵少將微 / 兵少将微
* 最少 (zuìshǎo)
* 凶多吉少 (xiōngduōjíshǎo)
* 古今少有
* 多共少
* 多凶少吉
* 多多少少 (duōduōshǎoshǎo)
* 多少
* 多少是好
* 多退少補 / 多退少补
* 寡二少雙 / 寡二少双
* 寡恩少義 / 寡恩少义
* 寡情少義 / 寡情少义
* 寡聞少見 / 寡闻少见
* 寡見少聞 / 寡见少闻
* 少一缺二
* 少不了 (shàobuliǎo)
* 少不得
* 少之又少 (shǎozhīyòushǎo)
* 少來 / 少来 (shǎolái)
* 少候
* 少停
* 少刻 (shǎokè)
* 少吃無著 / 少吃无著
* 少坐
* 少安勿躁 (shǎo'ān wùzào)
* 少安毋躁
* 少安無躁 / 少安无躁
* 少少 (shǎoshǎo)
* 少差
* 少待
* 少心眼
* 少息 (shǎoxī)
* 少憩 (shǎoqì)
* 少懈
* 少敘 / 少叙
* 少數 / 少数 (shǎoshù)
* 少數民族 / 少数民族 (shǎoshù mínzú)
* 少日
* 少時 / 少时
* 少有 (shǎoyǒu)
* 少歇
* 少氣無力 / 少气无力
* 少焉
* 少禮 / 少礼 (xiǎolǐ)
* 少私寡慾 / 少私寡欲
* 少管閒事 / 少管闲事 (shǎoguǎnxiánshì)
* 少見 / 少见 (shǎojiàn)
* 少見多怪 / 少见多怪 (shǎojiànduōguài)
* 少親失眷 / 少亲失眷
* 少言寡語 / 少言寡语 (shǎoyánguǎyǔ)
* 少許 / 少许 (shǎoxǔ)
* 少調失教 / 少调失教
* 少量 (shǎoliàng)
* 少間 / 少间
* 少陪
* 少頃 / 少顷 (shǎoqǐng)
* 少頭無尾 / 少头无尾
* 少魂失魄
* 少魂沒識 / 少魂没识
* 很少 (hěnshǎo)
* 抵多少
* 會少離多 / 会少离多
* 沒多少 / 没多少
* 沉重少言
* 沉靜少言 / 沉静少言
* 沒魂少智 / 没魂少智
* 減少 / 减少 (jiǎnshǎo)
* 狼多肉少 (lángduōròushǎo)
* 疏謀少略 / 疏谋少略
* 眾少不敵 / 众少不敌
* 眾少成多 / 众少成多
* 短少 (duǎnshǎo)
* 稀少 (xīshǎo)
* 積少成多 / 积少成多 (jīshǎochéngduō)
* 粥少僧多
* 絕甘分少 / 绝甘分少
* 缺少 (quēshǎo)
* 缺斤少兩 / 缺斤少两 (quējīnshǎoliǎng)
* 缺衣少食 (quēyīshǎoshí)
* 至少 (zhìshǎo)
* 花多實少 / 花多实少
* 虛多實少 / 虚多实少
* 辭多受少 / 辞多受少
* 重厚少文
* 食少事煩 / 食少事烦
* 鮮少 / 鲜少 (xiǎnshǎo)

### Pronunciation 2

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): shào (shao$^4$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄕㄠˋ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): siu$^3$
* Hakka
    (Sixian, PFS): seu
    (Meixian, Guangdong): sau$^4$
* Eastern Min (BUC): siéu
* Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): sieo$^4$
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): siàu
    (Teochew, Peng'im): siao$^3$
* Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): $^5$sau
* Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): sau$^4$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: shào
*** Zhuyin: ㄕㄠˋ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: shào
*** Wade–Giles: shao$^4$
*** Yale: shàu
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shaw
*** Palladius: шао (šao)
*** Sinological IPA : /ʂɑʊ̯⁵¹/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: siu$^3$
*** Yale: siu
*** Cantonese Pinyin: siu$^3$
*** Guangdong Romanization: xiu$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /siːu̯³³/
* Hakka
** (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: seu
*** Hakka Romanization System: seu
*** Hagfa Pinyim: seu$^4$
*** Sinological IPA: /seu̯⁵⁵/
** (Meixian)
*** Guangdong: sau$^4$
*** Sinological IPA: /sau⁵³/
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: siéu
*** Sinological IPA : /siɛu²¹³/
* Puxian Min
** (Putian, Xianyou)
*** Pouseng Ping'ing: sieo$^4$
*** Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: sa̤̍u
*** Sinological IPA : /ɬieu⁴²/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: siàu
*** Tâi-lô: siàu
*** Phofsit Daibuun: siaux
*** IPA (Xiamen): /siau²¹/
*** IPA (Quanzhou): /siau⁴¹/
*** IPA (Zhangzhou): /siau²¹/
*** IPA (Taipei): /siau¹¹/
*** IPA (Kaohsiung): /siau²¹/
** (Teochew)
*** Peng'im: siao$^3$
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: siàu
*** Sinological IPA : /siau²¹³/
* Wu
** (Northern: Shanghai)
*** Wugniu: $^5$sau
*** MiniDict: sau$^去$
*** Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): $^2$sau
*** Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /sɔ³⁴/
* Xiang
** (Changsha)
*** Wiktionary: sau$^4$
*** Sinological IPA : /sɒu̯⁴⁵/
* Middle Chinese: syewH
Rime :
| Character | 少 |
| Reading # | 2/2 |
| Initial (聲) | 書 (26) |
| Final (韻) | 宵 (91) |
| Tone (調) | Departing (H) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | III |
| Fanqie | 失照切 |
| Baxter | syewH |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /ɕiᴇu$^H$/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /ɕiɛu$^H$/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /ɕjæu$^H$/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /ɕiaw$^H$/ |
| Li Rong | /ɕiɛu$^H$/ |
| Wang Li | /ɕĭɛu$^H$/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /ɕi̯ɛu$^H$/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | shào |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | siu$^3$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*[s-t]ewʔ-s/
    (Zhengzhang): /*hmjews/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 少 |
| Reading # | 2/2 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | shào |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ syew$^H$ › |
| Old Chinese | /*[s-t]ewʔ-s/ |
| English | young |
| Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary. ||
Zhengzhang system (2003) :
| Character | 少 |
| Reading # | 2/2 |
| No. | 13708 |
| Phonetic component | 小 |
| Rime group | 宵 |
| Rime subdivision | 2 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 少 |
| Old Chinese | /*hmjews/ |

#### Definitions

少
* young; youthful; juvenile
       Bié kàn tā suìshù dà, kě zhǎng dé shào xiàng. [Pinyin]
       Despite her age, she still looked young.
* later in a sequence; younger; youngest
* childhood; youth; young period
    From: He Zhizhang
    shào xiǎo lí jiā lǎo dà huí [Pinyin]
    Leaving home young, returning home old
* young man; youngster; junior
* (historical) deputy; assistant
* (historical) young master of a rich family
    二少 [Cantonese] ― ji$^6$ siu$^3$ [Jyutping] ― second young master
* a surname

##### Synonyms

| Variety | Location | Words |
| Classical Chinese | Classical Chinese | 少 |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 年輕 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 年輕 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 年輕 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Malaysia | 年輕 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 年輕 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Jinan | 年輕 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Luoyang | 年輕 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xi'an | 年輕 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 年輕 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Wuhan | 年輕 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Liuzhou | 後生 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Yangzhou | 年輕 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Hefei | 年輕 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 後生, 年紀嫩, 年青 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 後生, 年青, 年輕 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (San Tin; Weitou) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (Kam Tin; Weitou) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (Ting Kok) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Macau | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Panyu) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Conghua) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Zengcheng) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Foshan | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shunde) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Sanshui) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming) | 年嫩 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Shiqi) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Doumen) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Jiangmen (Baisha) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Jiangmen (Xinhui) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Taishan | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Kaiping (Chikan) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Enping (Niujiang) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Heshan (Yayao) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Dongguan | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Yangjiang | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Danzhou | 嫩 |
| Cantonese | Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Singapore (Guangfu) | 後生 |
| Gan | Nanchang | 年輕, 後生 |
| Gan | Lichuan | 年輕, 後生 |
| Gan | Pingxiang | 後生 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 後生 |
| Hakka | Xingning | 後生 |
| Hakka | Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Huidong (Daling) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Dongguan (Qingxi) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Shenzhen (Shatoujiao) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Shaoguan (Qujiang) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Changting | 後生 |
| Hakka | Wuping | 後生 |
| Hakka | Wuping (Pingyu) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Liancheng | 後生 |
| Hakka | Ninghua | 後生 |
| Hakka | Ruijin | 後生 |
| Hakka | Shicheng | 後生 |
| Hakka | Shangyou (Shexi) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 少年 |
| Hakka | Hong Kong | 後生 |
| Hakka | Senai (Huiyang) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Singkawang | 後生 |
| Huizhou | Jixi | 後生 |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 年輕 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou | 後生 |
| Northern Min | Jianyang | 後生 |
| Northern Min | Pucheng (Shibei) | 後生 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 後生 |
| Eastern Min | Fuqing | 後生 |
| Eastern Min | Matsu | 後生, 年輕 |
| Eastern Min | Singapore (Fuqing) | 年輕 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 少年 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen (Tong'an) | 少年 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 少年 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 少年 |
| Southern Min | Zhao'an | 後生 |
| Southern Min | Taipei | 少年, 細漢 |
| Southern Min | New Taipei (Sanxia) | 細漢 |
| Southern Min | Kaohsiung | 少年, 細漢 |
| Southern Min | Yilan | 少年, 細漢 |
| Southern Min | Changhua (Lukang) | 少年, 細漢 |
| Southern Min | Taichung | 少年, 細漢 |
| Southern Min | Taichung (Wuqi) | 少年 |
| Southern Min | Tainan | 少年, 細漢 |
| Southern Min | Taitung | 少年 |
| Southern Min | Hsinchu | 少年, 細漢 |
| Southern Min | Kinmen | 少年, 細漢 |
| Southern Min | Penghu (Magong) | 少年, 細漢 |
| Southern Min | Penang (Hokkien) | 少年 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 少年, 後生 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 少年, 少歲, 後生 |
| Southern Min | Zhangping (Yongfu) | 少年, 後生仔 |
| Southern Min | Datian | 後生 |
| Southern Min | Chaozhou | 後生 |
| Southern Min | Shantou | 後生 |
| Southern Min | Shantou (Chenghai) | 後生 |
| Southern Min | Jieyang | 後生 |
| Southern Min | Bangkok (Teochew) | 後生 |
| Southern Min | Johor Bahru (Teochew) | 後生 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 後生 |
| Southern Min | Leizhou | 後生 |
| Southern Min | Wenchang | 幼, 年青 |
| Southern Min | Haikou | 幼 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hainanese) | 幼 |
| Puxian Min | Putian | 後生 |
| Puxian Min | Putian (Donghai, Chengxiang) | 後生 |
| Puxian Min | Putian (Jiangkou, Hanjiang) | 後生 |
| Puxian Min | Putian (Nanri, Xiuyu) | 後生 |
| Puxian Min | Xianyou | 後生 |
| Puxian Min | Xianyou (Fengting) | 後生 |
| Puxian Min | Xianyou (Youyang) | 後生 |
| Zhongshan Min | Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi) | 後生 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 年輕, 後生 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 年紀輕 |
| Wu | Hangzhou | 後生 |
| Wu | Ningbo | 後生, 年紀輕 |
| Wu | Wenzhou | 後生 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 冒年紀, 年輕 |
| Xiang | Shuangfeng | 冒年紀 |

#### Compounds

* 不良少年 (bùliáng shàonián)
* 五陵年少 (wǔlíngniánshào)
* 卻少 / 却少 (quèshào)
* 問題少年 / 问题少年
* 大少爺 / 大少爷 (dàshàoye)
* 太子少保
* 太子少師 / 太子少师
* 安老懷少 / 安老怀少
* 少不更事
* 少不經事 / 少不经事 (shàobùjīngshì)
* 少保
* 少傅
* 少像
* 少商
* 少壯 / 少壮 (shàozhuàng)
* 少女 (shàonǚ)
* 少女嫩婦 / 少女嫩妇 (shàonǚ nènfù)
* 少女情懷 / 少女情怀
* 少奶奶 (shàonǎinai)
* 少婦 / 少妇 (shàofù)
* 少子
* 少尉 (shàowèi)
* 少小
* 少師 / 少师
* 少年 (shàonián)
* 少年人
* 少年才俊
* 少年法庭
* 少年犯罪 (shàonián fànzuì)
* 少年組 / 少年组
* 少年老成
* 少年郎
* 少府 (shàofǔ)
* 少成若性
* 少昊
* 少東 / 少东 (shàodōng)
* 少林寺 (Shàolínsì)
* 少林拳 (Shàolínquán)
* 少林派
* 少棒
* 少爺 / 少爷 (shàoyé)
* 少牢 (shàoláo)
* 少白頭 / 少白头 (shàobáitóu)
* 少艾 (shào'ài)
* 嵩少
* 年少 (niánshào)
* 年少得志
* 年少氣盛 / 年少气盛
* 惡少 / 恶少 (èshào)
* 慘綠少年 / 惨绿少年
* 盧家少婦 / 卢家少妇
* 空中少爺 / 空中少爷 (kōngzhōng shàoyé)
* 老少 (lǎoshào)
* 老少一同
* 老少咸宜 (lǎoshàoxiányí)
* 老少年
* 老少無欺 / 老少无欺
* 老少男女 (lǎoshàonánnǚ)
* 老少配
* 老的少的
* 老老少少
* 老醫少卜 / 老医少卜
* 荷花大少
* 虞犯少年
* 裙屐少年
* 裴少俊
* 資淺齒少 / 资浅齿少
* 遺少 / 遗少
* 闊少 / 阔少 (kuòshào)
* 青少年 (qīngshàonián)
* 青少棒

### References

* “少”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎, 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–
* 莆田市荔城区档案馆 [Putian City Licheng District Archives], editor (2022), “少”, in 莆仙方言文读字汇 [Puxian Dialect Literary Reading Dictionary] (overall work in Mandarin and Puxian Min), page 206.

## Japanese
### Kanji

(Second grade kyōiku kanji)
* a little

#### Readings

* Go-on: しょう (shō, Jōyō)
* Kan-on: しょう (shō, Jōyō)
* Kun: すくない (sukunai, 少ない, Jōyō)、すこし (sukoshi, 少し, Jōyō)、しばらく (shibaraku, 少く)

#### Compounds

* 少女(しょうじょ) (shōjo)
* 少年(しょうねん) (shōnen)
* 少少(しょうしょう) (shōshō), 少々(しょうしょう) (shōshō)

## Korean
### Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “Middle Korean readings, if any”)

### Pronunciation

* (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA: [sʰo̞(ː)]
* Phonetic hangul: [소(ː)]
** Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

### Hanja

Wikisource 少 (eumhun 적을 소 (jeogeul so))
* hanja form of 소 (“(to be) little; (to be) few”)

#### Compounds

* 소녀 (少女, sonyeo, “girl”)
* 소년 (少年, sonyeon, “boy”)
* 청소년 (靑少年, cheongsonyeon, “adolescent, teenager”)

## Vietnamese
### Han character

少: Hán Việt readings: thiếu, thiểu
少: Nôm readings: thiếu, thiểu, thểu, thỉu, thẹo, thẻo, ít
* chữ Hán form of thiếu (“lack, short on”).
* chữ Nôm form of ít (“few, little”).
* chữ Nôm form of thẹo (“scar”).

### References

* 1 2 3 4 Nguyễn (2014).
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Nguyễn et al. (2009).
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 Trần (2004).
* 1 2 Trần (1999).
* 1 2 Nguyễn (1974).
* 1 2 Thiều Chửu (1942).