小品

• Pinyin: xiǎo pǐn
• Hanzi breakdown: 小 = small; 品 = three 口 stacked (multiple mouths/categories — variety of types)

Meaning

Comic sketch; a short performance piece — either a theatrical skit or a brief essay in classical tradition.

In modern Chinese, 小品 almost exclusively refers to the comic sketches (相声-adjacent but scripted) that are the highlight of the CCTV Spring Festival Gala. In classical literature, it refers to short, lyrical prose essays (小品文). The two meanings coexist but modern usage strongly favours the comic sketch sense.

Examples

1. 春晚上的小品年年让观众捧腹大笑，已成为中国人过年的一部分文化记忆。 The comedy sketches on the Spring Festival Gala make audiences laugh every year and have become part of many Chinese people’s New Year memories.
2. 他曾在大学期间参演话剧和小品，积累了丰富的舞台表演经验。 During college, he performed in plays and comedy sketches, gaining extensive stage experience.
3. 这篇小品文语言简洁隽永，寥寥数百字便勾勒出一幅生动的山居图。 This short essay uses concise, elegant language; in just a few hundred characters it sketches a vivid mountain-home scene.

Usage Guide

Context: entertainment, television, literature, performance

Tone: light

Do Say

• 今年春晚最受欢迎的小品讲述了一个普通家庭之间的温情故事，引发了无数观众的共鸣。(The most popular comic sketch at this year's Spring Festival Gala told a heartwarming story of an ordinary family, resonating deeply with countless viewers.)
• 赵本山的小品影响了整整一代中国人对喜剧的理解和审美。(Zhao Benshan's comic sketches shaped an entire generation's understanding and appreciation of Chinese comedy.)

Don't Say

• 这个小品不好笑 — perfectly natural; just note that 小品 in modern usage specifically implies a scripted comic sketch, not stand-up or 相声

Origin & History

小 (small) + 品 (variety/category/work) — a small, self-contained artistic piece

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal