Kilo Lingo

(zhì shǎo) - at least in Mandarin

zhìshǎo

Traditional: 至少

Line drawing of 至少
Coloured illustration of 至少
HSK 4
#472 of 5,000 Core 1000

Translation

at least

Word origin

至少 (zhìshǎo) 'at least' joins 至 (zhì, 'to arrive, the most') and 少 (shǎo, 'few, little'). 至 is a pictograph of an arrow reaching the ground, 'to arrive, utmost'; 少 is an indicative character, 小 (small) with an added stroke, 'few'.

Origin
compound
Root
至 (zhì, arrow reaching ground, 'utmost') + 少 (shǎo, 'few')

Stroke order

Stroke order for 至

Stroke order for 少

Examples

It takes at least an hour.

You should at least apologise.

At least we still have each other.

This matter will take at least three days.

At least ten people came.

至少 (zhì shǎo) - at least.

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This word is part of lesson 10.