Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Very little, very small: Describes something that is extremely small in size, amount, or degree. It emphasizes a diminutive scale, often with a nuance of being tiny, minute, or a very small quantity.

Usage

• As an adjective: "Tí xíu" is used to modify nouns directly, indicating their smallness. It is a colloquial and emphatic term, more expressive than just "tí" or "nhỏ". It can describe physical size or a very small amount of something abstract.
• Common patterns: It often follows the noun it describes (e.g., ). It can also be used after verbs like "có" (to have) to indicate a small amount (e.g., ).

Usage Examples

• Describing physical size:

  • Bé tí xíu. (Very tiny.)
  • Viên ngọc trai tí xíu. (A very tiny pearl.)
  • Chiếc đồng hồ tí xíu. (A very small watch.)

• Describing a small amount:

  • Chỉ còn tí xíu đường thôi. (There's only a very little bit of sugar left.)
  • Cho tôi tí xíu muối. (Give me just a tiny bit of salt.)

Advanced Usage

• "Một tí xíu": This phrase means "a very little bit" and is used to emphasize an extremely small quantity. It functions similarly to "một chút xíu".
  • Đợi tôi một tí xíu nhé! (Wait for me just a tiny little bit!)
• Reduplication for emphasis: The word itself is a reduplicated form of "tí", making its meaning more vivid and expressive than the root word alone.

Variants and Related Words

• Tí: (adj) Little, small. A shorter, less emphatic form.
  • Một tí. (A little bit.)
• Chút xíu: (adj) A little bit. A near-synonymous phrase with identical meaning and usage.
  • Một chút xíu. (A tiny little bit.)
• Bé xíu: (adj) Very small, tiny. Often used interchangeably with "tí xíu" for physical size.
  • Con mèo bé xíu. (A tiny kitten.)

Synonyms

• Nhỏ xíu: Very small (emphasizing physical size).
• Một chút: A little, a bit (less emphatic than "tí xíu").
• Một ít: A little, some (neutral in tone).

Related Phrases

• Tí tẹo: (adj) A very small amount; a synonym often used in the North of Vietnam.
  • Còn tí tẹo nước. (There's a teeny bit of water left.)
• Tí ti: (adj) Very little, tiny. Another common colloquial variant.
  • Bánh tí ti. (A tiny cake.)

Related Idioms

• Nhỏ như cái tăm: (As small as a toothpick) - An idiom for describing something very thin and small.
• Bé hạt tiêu: (As small as a peppercorn) - An idiom for describing something very tiny.

adj

1. Very little