狭小

• Pinyin: xiá xiǎo
• Hanzi breakdown: 狭 = 犭+ 夹 (animal radical + pinched between — narrow); 小 = three downward strokes — small, little

Meaning

Narrow and small; cramped. Describes a limited physical space or, less commonly, a limited scope of thinking.

Primarily used to describe physical spaces that are both narrow and small: rooms, passageways, living quarters. Has a slightly negative connotation of constraint. Contrasts with 宽敞 (spacious, roomy).

Examples

1. 这间狭小的阁楼虽然面积不大，却被她布置得温馨而实用。 Though this small attic doesn’t have much space, she arranged it to be cozy and practical.
2. 城市里许多老旧社区的楼道十分狭小，消防车根本无法进入。 In many older neighborhoods in the city, the hallways are so cramped that fire engines can’t get in at all.
3. 他在这狭小的工作台上完成了许多精妙的手工艺品。 He completed many exquisite handmade crafts on this cramped workbench.

Usage Guide

Context: housing, urban planning, daily life, architecture

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 狭小的居住空间会长期损害身心健康，影响儿童发育和家庭关系，改善居住环境应纳入公共健康政策。(Cramped living spaces can harm physical and mental health over time, affecting children's development and family relations, so improving housing should be part of public health policy.)
• 建筑师把这套狭小公寓做成多功能空间，用折叠家具和收纳系统提升利用率，住起来也更明亮。(The architect turned this cramped apartment into a multifunctional space, using folding furniture and storage systems to improve efficiency and make it feel brighter.)

Don't Say

• 狭小 and 狭窄 interchangeably — 狭小 means narrow AND small (both dimensions are limited), while 狭窄 focuses specifically on narrowness (one dimension); a corridor can be 狭窄 without being 狭小 if it is long

Origin & History

狭 (narrow — 犭+ 夹, hemmed in) + 小 (small, little) — describing a space that is both narrow and small

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal