How to Write 少 (shǎo/shào) — Meaning “Few; little; less”

Imagine a small person (小) who has lost one arm (the extra stroke), so they have 'less' than a complete person. This visual of something small with a missing piece helps you remember that 少 means 'few' or 'less'.

Write the vertical hook (竖钩) first as the central spine, then the left-slanting stroke (撇) on the top left, followed by the dot (点) on the right, and finally the long left-slanting stroke (撇) at the bottom. A common mistake is making the top part too wide or forgetting that the bottom left stroke should extend further than the top one.

少 is a complete character meaning 'few', while ⺌ (used in characters like 学) and ⺍ (a variant often seen in 党) are only components that resemble three dots or a small shape. Visually, 少 has a clear vertical line and two diagonal strokes, whereas ⺌ and ⺍ are made of small dots or short strokes without a central vertical element.

少 is most commonly used in words like 多少 ('how much/many') and 减少 ('to reduce'). It also appears in 少年 ('youth'), which carries cultural weight—for example, the famous essay '少年中国说' (Ode to Young China) celebrates the energy and future of young people.

Common words containing 少 include: 多少 (duō shǎo) — How much or how many.; 减少 (jiǎn shǎo) — to decrease; to reduce; 少年 (shào nián) — Youth; young person.