The word '寥寥' emphasizes extreme scarcity and is often used to evoke a sense of sparseness or minimalist elegance.
Word in 30 Seconds
- Indicates an extremely small or sparse number of something.
- Commonly used in formal writing or literary contexts.
- Often paired with numbers, like 'a few words' or 'a few people'.
概览：
“寥寥”是一个叠音形容词，核心含义是“极少”。它不仅仅表达数字上的少，往往还带有一种“空旷”、“冷清”或“不足”的情感色彩。在现代汉语中，它通常作为书面用语出现，使表达显得更加典雅和凝练。
用法模式：
“寥寥”最常见的用法是作为成语“寥寥无几”的一部分。此外，它经常直接修饰带有数量词的名词短语，如“寥寥数人”、“寥寥几笔”。在句子中，它既可以作定语（修饰名词），也可以作谓语（描述状态）。
常见语境：
- 文学创作：描写荒凉的景色或孤独的心境，如“街上行人寥寥”。
- 艺术评论：评价绘画或写作风格简练，如“寥寥数笔，勾勒神韵”。
- 正式陈述：说明资源、人才或机会的匮乏，如“掌握此项技术的专家寥寥无几”。
同类词辨析：
与“很少”相比，“寥寥”更具文学性，强调“稀疏”感；与“稀少”相比，“寥寥”更多用于强调“原本期待更多，结果却很少”的落差感；与“罕见”不同，“罕见”强调的是事物出现的频率低（rare），而“寥寥”强调的是现存的总量少（scanty/few）。
Examples
尽管他讲了很久，但有价值的信息却寥寥无几。
everydayAlthough he spoke for a long time, there was very little valuable information.
在那个动荡的年代，能坚持读书的人寥寥可数。
formalIn those turbulent years, those who could persist in studying were few and far between.
画家寥寥几笔，一只生动的小鸟便跃然纸上。
informalWith just a few strokes, the painter brought a vivid bird to life on the paper.
关于此项技术的早期记载在史料中寥寥。
academicEarly records regarding this technology are sparse in historical materials.
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
寥寥可数
can be counted on one's fingers
行人寥寥
very few pedestrians
Often Confused With
'稀少' is a neutral, general term for 'scarce.' '寥寥' is more literary and often implies a sense of emptiness.
'罕见' means 'rare' in terms of frequency (seldom seen), while '寥寥' means 'few' in terms of total count.
Grammar Patterns
How to Use It
Usage Notes
The word '寥寥' is mostly used in written Chinese. It appears frequently in the four-character idioms '寥寥无几' and '寥寥可数'. When using it to modify a noun, it is almost always followed by a number-measure word phrase like '数个' or '几位'.
Common Mistakes
English speakers often forget that '寥寥' needs a measure word when modifying a noun; you cannot say '寥寥人', you must say '寥寥几人'. Also, don't confuse it with '廖' (a surname).
Tips
Master the 'Liao Liao Wu Ji' Idiom
Learning '寥寥无几' (liáo liáo wú jǐ) is the most efficient way to use this word. It's the standard phrase for 'very few'.
Avoid Using It Alone as a Noun
Unlike 'few' in English, '寥寥' cannot stand alone as a subject. Use it as an adjective or within a fixed phrase.
The Beauty of Minimalism
In Chinese aesthetics, '寥寥' can represent 'Less is More,' especially in Zen-inspired art and poetry.
Word Origin
The character '寥' (liáo) originally meant empty or silent. Reduplicating it into '寥寥' intensifies the meaning to describe something that is so sparse it feels empty.
Cultural Context
In traditional Chinese ink wash painting (国画), the concept of '寥寥数笔' (a few sparse strokes) is highly valued as it represents the artist's ability to capture the essence of a subject without unnecessary detail.
Memory Tip
Visualize the character '寥' which contains the radical for 'roof' (宀). Imagine a huge house with only a few items inside—that is '寥寥'.
Frequently Asked Questions
4 questions可以，但它听起来比较正式。在随意的日常对话中，人们更倾向于使用“没几个”或“很少”。
两者意思非常接近。“寥寥无几”强调几乎没有；“寥寥可数”则强调数量少到可以数得过来，侧重点略有不同，但通常可以互换。
通常用于形容可数的事物（如人、物、字），但也可以形容抽象概念如“希望”或“机会”，用来表达其微茫。
不一定。在评价书法或绘画时，“寥寥数笔”通常是褒义词，赞扬艺术家用极简的笔触表现了丰富的意境。
Test Yourself
这部电影的口碑虽好，但去影院观看的观众却___。
“寥寥无几”形容数量极少，最符合语境。b、c侧重分布，d侧重程度小。
Which sentence uses '寥寥' incorrectly?
“寥寥”强调少，通常不直接用来修饰“漂亮”，除非是特指某种简约美，但在c项语境中逻辑不通。
剩下 / 已经 / 的 / 寥寥无几 / 机会 / 给他
“留给他的机会已经寥寥无几”是标准的汉语主谓宾结构。
Score: /3
Summary
The word '寥寥' emphasizes extreme scarcity and is often used to evoke a sense of sparseness or minimalist elegance.
- Indicates an extremely small or sparse number of something.
- Commonly used in formal writing or literary contexts.
- Often paired with numbers, like 'a few words' or 'a few people'.
Master the 'Liao Liao Wu Ji' Idiom
Learning '寥寥无几' (liáo liáo wú jǐ) is the most efficient way to use this word. It's the standard phrase for 'very few'.
Avoid Using It Alone as a Noun
Unlike 'few' in English, '寥寥' cannot stand alone as a subject. Use it as an adjective or within a fixed phrase.
The Beauty of Minimalism
In Chinese aesthetics, '寥寥' can represent 'Less is More,' especially in Zen-inspired art and poetry.
Examples
4 of 4尽管他讲了很久，但有价值的信息却寥寥无几。
Although he spoke for a long time, there was very little valuable information.
在那个动荡的年代，能坚持读书的人寥寥可数。
In those turbulent years, those who could persist in studying were few and far between.
画家寥寥几笔，一只生动的小鸟便跃然纸上。
With just a few strokes, the painter brought a vivid bird to life on the paper.
关于此项技术的早期记载在史料中寥寥。
Early records regarding this technology are sparse in historical materials.
Related Content
Related Vocabulary
More general words
一下儿
A1a bit, a moment
点儿
A1a little bit
有点儿
A1a little, somewhat (negative connotation)
一下
A2A bit; a moment (used after a verb).
异样
B1different; unusual; strange
关于
A1about, concerning
快要
A2to be about to (happen)
大约
B1Used to show that a number or amount is not exact; approximately.
上边
A2above, on top
上面
A1on, above, over
