Meaning
稀少 describes something that exists in small quantities or appears infrequently. It emphasizes scarcity or low density, whether referring to physical objects, natural resources, population, or occurrences. The word combines 稀 (sparse, thin) and 少 (few, little) to reinforce the meaning of scarcity.
Usage
稀少 is used in both spoken and written Mandarin to describe things that are not abundant. It commonly appears in formal contexts when discussing resources, population density, rare species, or infrequent events. Native speakers often use it to emphasize the precious or unusual nature of something due to its rarity.
Examples
- 01这种植物在野外已经非常稀少了。.This type of plant has become very rare in the wild.
- 02西藏的人口稀少，大部分地区都是高原和山地。, .Tibet is sparsely populated; most of the area consists of plateaus and mountains.
Characters
Common collocations
- 资源稀少scarce resources
- 人口稀少sparsely populated
- 十分稀少extremely scarce
Antonyms
Origin
Both characters independently convey scarcity. 稀 originally referred to thin or watery rice porridge, extending to mean sparse or diluted. 少 means few or little. Combined, they create an intensified meaning of rarity or scarcity.