Chinese word

至少

Pronunciation

Pinyinzhì shǎo

Meaning

  • adverbat least

Example

你至少要来一下。nǐ zhì shǎo yào lái yí xià

You need to come over for at least a little while.

Illustration for 至少 (at least)

More examples

这件事至少需要两天才能完成。zhè jiàn shì zhì shǎo xū yào liǎng tiān cái néng wán chéng

This matter will take at least two days to complete.

Core concept

A lower boundary that a number, amount, or action must reach, with anything above it still possible.

Common phrases

  • 至少有三个人zhì shǎo yǒu sān gè rén

    at least three people

  • 至少需要zhì shǎo xū yào

    need at least

Similar words

起码qí mǎ: Gives a spoken minimum that should be reached, even if more is possible.
最低zuì dī: Indicates the lowest level or amount accepted as the standard.
最少zuì shǎo: Indicates the least number or quantity that a situation permits.

Definition in Chinese

用来说明某事或某数值不低于某个标准，指出一个最低的数量或程度界限。yòng lái shuō míng mǒu shì huò mǒu shù zhí bù dī yú mǒu gè biāo zhǔn zhǐ chū yí gè zuì dī de shù liàng huò chéng dù jiè xiàn

Word origin

至 (zhì, "reach") + 少 (shǎo, "few") combines the ideas of reaching a small minimum, which gives the word its lower-limit meaning.

Usage tips

  • English speakers often expect at least to follow the subject, but Chinese 至少 (zhìshǎo, "at least") is commonly placed before the part whose minimum it marks.

Opposites

  • 至多zhì duōat mostadverb

Word lists with this word