寥寥无几

liáo liáo wú jǐ

HSK 3.0 Level 7 Rare

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Definitions

1. just a very few (idiom); tiny number
2. not many at all
3. You count them on your fingers.

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Word relationships

Antonyms

1 item

• 无数 wú shù 无数 wú shù countless 很多，数不清: countless

Related words

2 items

• 屈指可数 qū zhǐ kě shǔ 屈指可数 qū zhǐ kě shǔ can be counted on one's fingers (idiom) 形容数量少，扳手指就能数过来: can be counted on one's fingers (idiom)
• 人山人海 rén shān rén hǎi 人山人海 rén shān rén hǎi multitude 形容人非常多，与寥寥无几形成对比: multitude

Synonyms

1 item

• 极少 jí shǎo 极少 jí shǎo very little 数量很少，几乎没有: very little

Usage notes

Collocations

多用于形容人数、物品等数量极少，常与表示具体事物的名词搭配。

Common mistakes

不能用于不可数名词，如不能说“寥寥无几的水”，只能说“水很少”。

Example Sentences

1 shown

会场上，观众 寥寥无几 。

There were very few spectators at the venue.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Child Words of 寥寥无几

• 几 几 jī: small table
• 几 几 jǐ: how much
• 无 无 wú: not to have
• 寥 寥 liáo: empty
• 寥寥 寥寥 liáo liáo: very few
• 无几 无几 wú jǐ: very little