Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 稀少 | xīshǎo |
| 稀疏 | xīshū |
| 稀有 | xīyǒu |
| 罕見 / 罕见 | hǎnjiàn |
The various forms of 'rare' in Chinese depend on whether you are describing a low quantity, a physical spacing, a high value or an unusual occurrence.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 稀少 is composed of 稀 (sparse/thin) and 少 (few/little). The term 罕见 is composed of 罕 (rare/hard to find) and 见 (to see).
Which one should you use?
While 稀少 refers to a low quantity of things, 稀疏 describes things that are spread far apart, such as hair or trees. 稀有 is used for things that are rare due to their scarcity or high value, like rare minerals or species, whereas 稀少 focuses more on the low numerical count. 罕见 is used specifically for phenomena or occurrences that are rarely seen or encountered, such as a rare weather event.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term 稀罕 is used in regional Chinese dialects, particularly in northern China, to express surprise or admiration for something rare.
How do you pronounce it?
xīshǎo
Did you know?
- Chinese has no single word for 'rare' when referring to the cooking temperature of steak, instead using terms like 三分熟 meaning 'three parts cooked'.
- The word 罕见 is used for rare events, but the character 罕 alone is so uncommon in modern daily speech that it is almost exclusively seen in these specific compounds.
- In Northern China, the word 稀罕 (xīhan) can actually be used to mean 'to value' or 'to cherish' something, rather than just describing its rarity.
Examples in context
- 该国严禁进口稀有野生动物。The importation of rare wild animals to this country is strictly prohibited.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use 稀有 regarding wildlife.Tatoeba #2027987 by ydcok, translation #20611 by CK
- 那很稀少。That's very rare.This sentence demonstrates the use of 稀少.Tatoeba #5842671 by verdastelo9604, translation #2251322 by CK
- 如果我们不做更多的努力去保护雨林，很多其中的稀有物种将会灭绝。If we don't make the utmost effort to protect the rainforests, many of the rare species in them will become extinct.This sentence shows the context of using 稀有 for species.Tatoeba #736826 by GlossaMatik, translation #736828 by eastasiastudent
- 这种动物在野外非常罕见This animal is extremely rare in the wild.
- 这是一种珍稀植物，需要特别保护This is a rare plant that requires special protection.
- 这样的机会真是罕有啊Opportunities like this are truly rare!
- 这件古董真稀罕，我还没见过呢This antique is really rare, I haven't seen anything like it before.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Wei and Yuting are discussing the scarcity of a certain type of plant in a park.
- 伟 Wei这种植物在这一带很稀少。Zhè zhǒng zhíwù zài zhè yī dài hěn xīshǎo.This kind of plant is very rare in this area.
- 雨婷 Yuting很难见到它吧？Hěn nán jiàn dào tā ba?It's hard to see it, right?
- 伟 Wei是的，非常稀少。Shì de, fēicháng xīshǎo.Yes, it is very rare.
- 雨婷 Yuting我们要好好保护它。Wǒmen yào hǎohǎo bǎohù tā.We should protect it well.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rare” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
