稀

xī

HSK 3.0 Level 7 Adjective Uncommon

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Definitions

1. rare
2. uncommon
3. watery
4. sparse

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Character focus

Stroke order

12 strokes

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Word relationships

Antonyms

1 item

• 稠密 chóu mì 稠密 chóu mì dense 形容密集的程度: dense

Related words

1 item

• 罕见 hǎn jiàn 罕见 hǎn jiàn rare 极为少见，常用于事物: rare

Synonyms

2 items

• 稀少 xī shǎo 稀少 xī shǎo sparse 强调数量少、不常见: sparse
• 稀疏 xī shū 稀疏 xī shū sparse 常用于描述间隔大、不密集: sparse

Usage notes

Collocations

稀 is often paired with 少 in 稀少 (sparse, rare) or with 饭 in 稀饭 (rice porridge). It commonly describes low density or frequency, such as 头发稀 (thin hair) or 稀有 (rare).

Common mistakes

Do not confuse 稀 (xī, sparse/watery) with 希 (xī, hope). 稀有 means 'rare' while 希有 is incorrect.

Example Sentences

2 shown

这种植物在北方很 稀 。

This plant is very rare in the north.

那很 稀 少。

Source: Tatoeba.org (ID 5842671)

Sentence data courtesy of Tatoeba.org. AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Words Containing 稀

• 珍稀 珍稀 zhēn xī: rare
• 稀奇 稀奇 xī qí: rare
• 稀少 稀少 xī shǎo: sparse
• 稀罕 稀罕 xī han: rare; uncommon
• 人烟稀少 人烟稀少 rén yān xī shǎo: no sign of human habitation (idiom); desolate
• 依稀 依稀 yī xī: vaguely
• 和稀泥 和稀泥 huò xī ní: to try to smooth things over
• 地广人稀 地广人稀 dì guǎng rén xī: vast, but sparsely populated
• 抹稀泥 抹稀泥 mǒ xī ní: see 和稀泥[huò xī ní]
• 拉稀 拉稀 lā xī: (coll.) to have diarrhea
• 渐稀 渐稀 jiàn xī: to thin out gradually
• 物以稀为贵 物以稀为贵 wù yǐ xī wéi guì: the rarer sth is, the greater its value (idiom)
• 稀世 稀世 xī shì: rare
• 稀土 稀土 xī tǔ: rare earth (chemistry)
• 稀土元素 稀土元素 xī tǔ yuán sù: rare earth element (chemistry)
• 稀土金属 稀土金属 xī tǔ jīn shǔ: rare earth element
• 稀奇古怪 稀奇古怪 xī qí gǔ guài: crazy
• 稀客 稀客 xī kè: infrequent visitor
• 稀巴烂 稀巴烂 xī bā làn: see 稀爛|稀烂[xī làn]
• 稀有 稀有 xī yǒu: uncommon
• 稀有元素 稀有元素 xī yǒu yuán sù: trace element (nutrition)
• 稀有气体 稀有气体 xī yǒu qì tǐ: rare gas
• 稀烂 稀烂 xī làn: smashed up; broken into pieces; thoroughly mashed; pulpy
• 稀疏 稀疏 xī shū: sparse
• 稀稀拉拉 稀稀拉拉 xī xī lā lā: sparse and fragmentary
• 稀粥 稀粥 xī zhōu: water gruel
• 稀缺 稀缺 xī quē: scarce
• 稀薄 稀薄 xī bó: thin
• 稀里糊涂 稀里糊涂 xī li hú tu: muddleheaded
• 稀里哗啦 稀里哗啦 xī li huā lā: (onom.) rustling sound
• 稀释 稀释 xī shì: to dilute
• 稀里光当 稀里光当 xī li guāng dāng: thin
• 稀饭 稀饭 xī fàn: porridge; gruel; congee
• 稀松 稀松 xī sōng: poor
• 稀松骨质 稀松骨质 xī sōng gǔ zhì: cancellous bone
• 糖稀 糖稀 táng xī: maltose syrup