小型

• Pinyin: xiǎo xíng
• Hanzi breakdown: 小 = pictograph of small objects; 型 = 土 (earth/mould) + 刑 (shape, phonetic) — type, model, size

Meaning

Small-scale; compact; miniature. Describes something of a smaller size or lesser scale than the standard.

Used as an attributive adjective before nouns: 小型企业 (small enterprise), 小型汽车 (compact car), 小型会议 (small meeting). It implies the item is a reduced-scale version of something larger. Commonly used in business, urban planning, and product descriptions.

Examples

1. 他创办了一家小型科技公司，专注于软件开发。 He founded a small technology company focused on software development.
2. 这次会议规模较小，是一场小型内部讨论。 This meeting was of a small scale — a compact internal discussion.
3. 城市里停车位紧张，小型汽车更容易找到位置。 Parking spaces are tight in the city, and compact cars are easier to find a spot for.

Usage Guide

Context: business, everyday, technology

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 政府鼓励小型企业发展，提供了很多优惠政策。(The government encourages the development of small enterprises and has provided many preferential policies.)
• 这款小型相机轻巧便携，很适合旅行。(This compact camera is lightweight and portable — very suitable for travel.)

Don't Say

• 把小型用于描述微小的生物或颗粒物。(Don't use 小型 for microscopic organisms or particles — use 微型 (micro) or 微小 for things at a microscopic scale; 小型 refers to a compact but still visible scale.)

Origin & History

Compound of 小 (small) and 型 (type/model/size), literally 'small-sized model or type.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal