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- {{Grammar Box}}
- Often heard when scolding or giving advice (like when parents talk to children) is 少 (shǎo), which can mean "to do less of something."
- == Structure ==
- Just as you can use 多 to talk about [[Doing something more with "duo"|doing something more]], you can use 少 to talk about doing something ''less''.
- <div class="jiegou">
- Subj. + 少 + Verb-Obj.
- </div>
- Note that in English we don't use the word "less" so much. For example, rather than saying "drink less water," we might say "don't drink so much water." In Chinese, though, using 少 is quite natural and common. Avoiding the negative command (telling someone ''not'' to do something) is also a subtle way of sounding less bossy and annoying.
- == Examples ==
- <div class="liju">
- *我 妈 让 我 <em>少</em> 吃 辣 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ mā ràng wǒ <em>shǎo</em> chī là.</span><span class="trans">My mother tells me to eat less spicy food.</span>
- *你 应该 <em>少</em> 抽烟 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ yīnggāi <em>shǎo</em> chōuyān.</span><span class="trans">You should smoke less.</span>
- *<em>少</em> 喝 点 ，下午 还要 上班 呢 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Shǎo</em> hē diǎn, xiàwǔ háiyào shàngbān ne.</span><span class="trans">Don't drink so much. You're going back to work this afternoon.</span>
- *<em>少</em> 吃 垃圾 食品 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Shǎo</em> chī lājī shípǐn.</span><span class="trans">Eat junk food less.</span>
- *<em>少</em> 废话 ，快 说 吧 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Shǎo</em> fèihuà, kuài shuō ba.</span><span class="trans">Cut the crap. Spill it out.</span>
- *肉 太 贵 了 ，<em>少</em> 点 一些 。<span class="pinyin">Ròu tài guì le, <em>shǎo</em> diǎn yīxiē.</span> <span class="trans">Meat is too expensive. Don't order too much.</span>
- *<em>少</em> 买 点 ，吃不完 会 坏 的 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Shǎo</em> mǎi diǎn, chī bù wán huì huài de.</span><span class="trans">Don't buy too much. It will go bad if we can't finish eating all.</span>
- *你 能 不 能 让 他 <em>少</em> 放 点 盐 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ néng bu néng ràng tā <em>shǎo</em> fàng diǎn yán?</span><span class="trans">Can you tell him to put salt less?</span>
- *<em>少</em> 看 电视 ，多 看书 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Shǎo</em> kàn diànshì, duō kànshū.</span> <span class="trans">Watch TV less. Read more.</span>
- *医生 让 我 <em>少</em> 熬夜 ，多 休息 。<span class="pinyin">Yīshēng ràng wǒ <em>shǎo</em> áoyè, duō xiūxi.</span><span class="trans">The doctor told me to stay up less and take more rest.</span>
- </div>
- ==See also==
- * [[Doing something more with "duo"]]
- == Sources and further reading ==
- === Books ===
- * [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 39) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276709/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276709 →buy]
- [[Category:B1 grammar points]]
- {{Basic Grammar|少|B1|少 + Verb|废话 <em>少</em> 说！|grammar point|ASG9B0M8}}
- {{Used for|Adding more explanation}}
- {{POS|Verbs}}
- {{Subprop|Verb phrases}}
- {{Translation|less}}
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