AdverbsHSK 4
Expressing "a little" with 稍
稍 is a formal adverb meaning "a little" or "slightly," used to soften or reduce the intensity of what follows.
It typically appears before verbs or adjectives, and is more common in written Chinese than in everyday spoken Chinese.
Structure
稍 + Verb / Adjective
Used to indicate a small degree of the action or state.
Examples
- 请你稍等一下。Qǐng nǐ shāo děng yí xià.Please wait a moment.
- 这个颜色稍深了一点。Zhè ge yán sè shāo shēn le yì diǎn.This color is slightly too dark.
- 情况稍有好转。Qíng kuàng shāo yǒu hǎo zhuǎn.The situation has improved slightly.
- 请把音量稍调小一些。Qǐng bǎ yīn liàng shāo tiáo xiǎo yì xiē.Please turn the volume down a little.
- 他说话的速度稍快。Tā shuō huà de sù dù shāo kuài.He speaks a little too fast.