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瑣 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
瑣suǒpetty; trifling; troublesomex, 14 strokes, radical 王
suǒ(suo3) T3
  1. 1petty; trifling; troublesome
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

瑣suǒ(suo3)

The character 瑣 (suǒ) refers to something that is petty, trifling, or insignificant. It can also describe matters that are bothersome or troublesome, often in a context where someone is overwhelmed by minor details or issues that are not worth the attention they require.

Strokes14Radical王
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, there is often a strong emphasis on harmony and prioritizing significant issues over petty disputes. The concept of 瑣 reflects the societal tendency to overlook small grievances in favor of maintaining relationships.

Memory Tip

Imagine a small, shiny stone (瑣) that looks beautiful but is actually worthless. Just like this stone seems appealing but is merely trifling, the word 'suǒ' captures the essence of things that are not substantial or important, making it easier to remember both its form and meaning.

Meanings of 瑣

suǒ(suo3)
1petty; trifling; troublesome
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 瑣

瑣Simplified
14Strokes
王Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 瑣

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Podcast: 瑣

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AI Study Notes for 瑣

Quick Contrast

瑣 (suǒ) vs 琐 (suǒ) — use 瑣 for matters that are petty or trifling, while 琐 often refers to something fragmented or broken.

Usage Notes

瑣 is generally used in informal situations to describe minor annoyances or trivial matters. Common collocations include 瑣事 (trivial matters) and 瑣碎 (trivial and fragmented). Be cautious of using it in formal contexts, as it may come off as dismissive.

HSK Study Tips

瑣 is not included in the HSK levels, but understanding it can enhance vocabulary around daily frustrations or discussions of minor issues. Students should focus on recognizing it in context, especially when paired with other terms indicating triviality.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 瑣 with similar-sounding words or use it in overly formal contexts. For instance, saying "这件事情很瑣" (This matter is very trifling) can sound awkward; a better phrasing would be to use it in a more casual setting.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 瑣

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Etymology of 瑣

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

jade

Semantic (meaning)王
+
Phonetic (sound)⺌
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 瑣

  1. 1The meaning half王 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half⺌ is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayjade
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 瑣? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 瑣?

Decomposition of 瑣

IDS Structure⿰王⿱⺌貝
瑣Full Character
=
王Wang2
left
⺌xiao3
top
貝bei4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 3

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 瑣?

How to say petty; trifling; troublesome in Chinese

“petty; trifling; troublesome” in Chinese is瑣suǒ

The character 瑣 (suǒ) refers to something that is petty, trifling, or insignificant. It can also describe matters that are bothersome or troublesome, often in a context where someone is overwhelmed by minor details or issues that are not worth the attention they require.

When to use 瑣

瑣 is generally used in informal situations to describe minor annoyances or trivial matters. Common collocations include 瑣事 (trivial matters) and 瑣碎 (trivial and fragmented). Be cautious of using it in formal contexts, as it may come off as dismissive.

瑣 or something close to it

瑣 (suǒ) vs 琐 (suǒ) — use 瑣 for matters that are petty or trifling, while 琐 often refers to something fragmented or broken.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 瑣 with similar-sounding words or use it in overly formal contexts. For instance, saying "这件事情很瑣" (This matter is very trifling) can sound awkward; a better phrasing would be to use it in a more casual setting.

Write 瑣

瑣

Practice writing 瑣 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 瑣

Words Containing This Character10
猥琐vulgar猥瑣
琐事trifle瑣事
琐碎trifling瑣碎
繁琐many and complicated繁瑣
烦琐tedious煩瑣
琐suǒtrifling瑣
琐屑trivial matters瑣屑
琐细trivial瑣細
琐记miscellaneous notes瑣記
琐闻news items瑣聞
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 猥琐 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 瑣

Common phrases include 瑣事 (trivial matters) and 瑣碎 (trivial and fragmented), which help convey the idea of insignificant details.

Jason Recommends

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