adj. (Hira=しょう) small, little, few in number, not large

adj. (Trad=小, Pinyin=xiao3) small, little, tiny, bitty, few, young, tabloid

adj. (Simp=小, Pinyin=xiao3) small, little, tiny, bitty, few, young, tabloid

¹ a cow; a bull; an ox (pl. oxen); cattle

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² a seasoned mixture used as a stuffing for bun; stuffing; dressing; filling

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[小] smallness; littleness; small; little; minor; lesser; miniature

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[少] little; few; scarce; young

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[沼] a swamp; a marsh; a bog; a pond

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[簫] a Korean wind instrument resembling a panpipe

da4 cai2 xiao3 yong4
Large material for small use.
This is an expression used to describe waste or misuse of valuable materials or talents.

ru2 peng1 xiao3 xian1
Like frying a little fish.
To do something with ease. Compare with 势如破竹 (shi4 ru2 po4 zhu2).

xiao3 cong1 ban4 dou4 fu4... yi4 qing1 er4 bai2
A little onion mixed with toufu... one is green but the two are white.
When the ingredients are mixed, the colours will change. Completely innocent. As simple as a dish of white beancurd and scallions.

chuan1 xiao3 xie2
Wearing small shoes.
To understand someone else's situation. To walk in someone else's shoes. Compare with 取而代之 (qu3 er2 dai4 zhi1) and 推己及人 (tui1 ji3 ji2 ren2).

tan1 xiao3 shi1 da4
Covet a little and lose a lot.
To seek small gains but incur big losses. Penny wise, pound-foolish.