小气

• Pinyin: xiǎo qi
• Hanzi breakdown: 小 = small/narrow; 气 = 气 (breath, spirit, demeanour) — a person of narrow, petty spirit

Meaning

Stingy; petty; unwilling to spend money or share generously; also mean-spirited or narrow-minded.

Can refer to financial tightfistedness (reluctant to spend) or to a petty, ungenerous personality. When applied to demeanour, it implies someone who is calculative or not magnanimous. Colloquial and mildly derogatory.

Examples

1. 他为人小气，请客吃饭时总是斤斤计较，让朋友们颇为尴尬。 He’s stingy and always nitpicks over money when treating others to a meal, which makes his friends pretty uncomfortable.
2. 邻居抱怨说她太小气，连一把葱都不愿意借给别人。 The neighbors complained that she’s too stingy—she won’t even lend someone a bunch of scallions.
3. 做生意不能太小气，适当的投入和让利才能换来长久的合作关系。 You can’t be too stingy in business; the right investment and some concessions are what earn long-term partnerships.

Usage Guide

Context: personality, daily life, relationships

Tone: critical

Do Say

• 你别这么小气嘛，就多点一道菜，大家一起吃又怎么了？(Don't be so stingy — just order one more dish, what's the harm in everyone eating together?)
• 他平时对自己挺小气的，但对子女的教育投入却从不吝啬。(He is quite frugal with himself in daily life, but he never skimps on investing in his children's education.)

Don't Say

• 他小气地走过去 — 小气 is a personality adjective, not an adverb of manner; use 吝啬地 or 小心翼翼地 depending on the intended meaning

Origin & History

小 (small/little) + 气 (spirit/breath/manner) — having a small, narrow spirit; lacking generosity

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal