Hi @YuQinCai, @Constance_Fang @Fiona and the ChinesePod team, my question is this:
少 is a verb? Holy (&&^&^&^%)((^^%$, Batman! Please do a lesson helping us learn to use 少 and other underused verbs!
Your question made me think of the movie title 一个都不能少。 I suppose that’s an example of 少 as a verb. The English translation of the movie title was “Not One Less” but if you wanted to make the “less” a verb I suppose you could translate it as “lack”: Maybe “Not Even One May Lack.”
Thanks for this interesting discussion! @Wshingtondcmandarin I think 少 here could also be translated as “lose” - We Can’t Lose Even One!
With regards to other verbs you might not know，here’s a list of 5 unusual/ interesting verbs:
编 biān to weave (or to plait hair). You probably know the character 编 from the word 编辑, editor. In the case of 编辑，编 means edit. However, 编 can also be used as a verb meaning to weave or plait!
巴结 bājié, to fawn over. If you encountered this word without knowing it, it would be pretty hard to guess the meaning! Here’s an example sentence: 人人都来巴结他和他的家人。 Everyone came and fawned over him and his family.
踩 cǎi to step on. This is commonly used to say “I stepped on her foot!” and similar things. You could also use it to express that you were standing on something to reach somewhere high up. This character has an interesting secondary meaning which comes from the first. This can also mean to put someone down.
问候 wènhòu. You know these characters individually, but do you know what they mean together? They mean “send regards to” someone. Similar to how in English we would say “send my love to xxx”. Here’s an example sentence: 他向你 问候。 He sends his regards to you.
Finally, we have the verb 捆 kǔn, to tie up. Today someone said it to me in the context of tying together many chopsticks, and I realised that it’s another less-commonly taught verb. 捆 can also be used as a measure word for a bundle (of the same type of things).
Hope you found this interesting and useful, ask away if anything is unclear!
Hi,
In general, 少 can be used as adverb, adjective, verb or noun
这个班级考上大学的学生少得可怜 - 少 is an adverb
这家店菜给的份量也太少了 - 少 is an adjective
作为一名出身豪门的阔少， 他如今已经低调很多了 - 少 with 阔 is the noun
这个城市很缺少这样一批年轻有为的企业家 - 少 with 缺 is a verb
In summary, it really depends in what kind of context “少” is being used. Also, when combined with another word, “少” can be a verb or a noun as well.