麻雀虽小，五脏俱全

má què suī xiǎo , wǔ zàng jù quán

Save to list

Definitions

1. the sparrow may be small but all its vital organs are there (idiom)
2. small but complete in every detail

Stop forgetting what you study.
Build recall daily.

Try HanyuGuide's Chinese review system with multiple choice, typed recall, tone-aware practice, and reviews scheduled before memory fades.

Start Free Trial · $49.99 / year

Sign up with Google

Did Google show an error? Sorry about that. Use your email below instead.

Continue with Email

Lifetime for $119.99 Try a practice session

Child Words of 麻雀虽小，五脏俱全

• 五 五 wǔ: five
• 全 全 quán: all
• 小 小 xiǎo: small
• 脏 脏 zàng: viscera
• 虽 虽 suī: although
• 脏 脏 zāng: dirty
• 麻 麻 má: generic name for hemp, flax etc
• 五脏 五脏 wǔ zàng: five viscera of TCM, namely: heart 心[xīn], liver 肝[gān], spleen 脾[pí], lungs 肺[fèi] and kidneys 腎|肾[shèn]
• 俱 俱 jù: (literary) all; both; entirely; without exception
• 俱全 俱全 jù quán: every kind
• 雀 雀 qiāo: a freckle
• 雀 雀 què: (bound form) small bird
• 麻雀 麻雀 má què: sparrow