极少数

• Pinyin: jí shǎo shù
• Hanzi breakdown: 极 = 木 + 亟 (utmost); 少 = 小 + 丿 (small + stroke — few); 数 = 米 + 攴 (grain + tap — to count)

Meaning

An extremely small minority; a tiny fraction. Refers to a very small number of people or things within a larger group.

Used in political, social, and statistical contexts to isolate exceptions from the majority. A classic phrase in Chinese political discourse: 极少数人 (an extremely small minority of people). Implies that the majority should not be judged by the behaviour of this tiny fraction.

Examples

1. 绝大多数党员能够廉洁奉公，但极少数人利用职务之便谋取私利，损害了党和政府的公信力。 The vast majority of party members serve honestly and conscientiously, but a tiny minority have used their positions for personal gain, damaging the credibility of the Party and the government.
2. 这款药物对极少数体质特殊的患者可能产生轻微的过敏反应，使用前务必仔细阅读说明书。 This medication may cause a mild allergic reaction in a very small number of patients with unusual constitutions; be sure to read the instructions carefully before use.
3. 网络上传播不实信息的只是极少数人，我们不应因此对整个互联网社区产生不信任感。 Only a tiny minority of people spread false information online; we shouldn’t lose trust in the entire online community because of that.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, sociology, medicine

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 监管部门指出，此次违规行为仅涉及极少数企业，绝不能以偏概全地否定整个行业的诚信经营现状。(The regulatory authority pointed out that this violation only involved an extremely small number of enterprises and must not be used to unfairly generalise and negate the integrity of the entire industry.)
• 在极少数情况下，系统可能因网络异常出现短暂的服务中断，技术团队已制定完善的应急响应预案加以应对。(In an extremely small number of cases, the system may experience brief service interruptions due to network anomalies; the technical team has formulated a comprehensive emergency response plan to address this.)

Don't Say

• 极少数的一些人 — redundant; use 极少数人 directly; 一些 is already implied by 少数

Origin & History

极 (extreme) + 少数 (minority/small number)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal