秒

• Pinyin: miǎo
• Hanzi breakdown: 秒 = 禾 (grain) + 少 (few), originally grain awn, now used for seconds

Meaning

Second (unit of time). One-sixtieth of a minute.

The basic unit of time measurement. Used in scientific, sports, and everyday contexts. Also used figuratively to emphasize speed, as in 秒杀 (instant kill/sold out in seconds).

Examples

1. 百米赛跑他只用了十秒多一点。 He ran the 100-meter dash in just over ten seconds.
2. 请稍等几秒，系统正在加载中。 Please wait a few seconds; the system is loading.
3. 这款手机一上线就被秒杀了，根本抢不到。 This phone was sold out in seconds as soon as it went online; it was impossible to get one.

Usage Guide

Context: time, sports, everyday

Tone: precise

Do Say

• 倒计时还剩三十秒。(There are thirty seconds left in the countdown.)
• 她六十秒内完成了这道题。(She completed this problem within sixty seconds.)

Don't Say

• 我等了很多秒。(For longer waits, use 分钟 or 小时 — 秒 implies very brief moments)

Origin & History

秒 originally referred to the awn of grain (禾 + 少), extended to mean the smallest unit of time measurement.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal