Dictionary › 至少

至少

zhì shǎo

Old HSK 4 HSK 3.0 level 4 2-character word

至少 (zhì shǎo) means "at least". It is an HSK 3.0 level 4 word, and was HSK 4 in the old six-level list.

What 至少 means

1. at least
2. (to say the) least

How 至少 is used in grammar

至少 is a grammar word. Each link goes to its own section: what it does in that pattern, the structure, three example sentences with pinyin, and the mistake to avoid.

• Scope Adverbs: 光, 仅, 就, 至少 (HSK 3)
• Scope adverbs: 共/全/光/仅/至少 (HSK 4)

The official HSK 3.0 grammar outline lists it at level 4, adverbs (范围副词).

The characters in 至少

• 至zhìto arrive; most; to
• 少shǎofew; less; to lack

Example sentences

• 我至少有十本书。
  I have at least ten books.
• 它至少要花五美元。
  It'll cost at least five dollars.
• 他至少有一千本书。
  He has at least one thousand books.
• 至少她能面对他们！
  She at least, she can face them!
• 鸡蛋至少要煮5分钟。
  Eggs should be boiled for at least five minutes.
• 栗子至少要煮15分钟。
  Lìzi zhìshǎo yào zhǔ 15 fēnzhōng.
  Boil chestnuts for at least 15 minutes.

Where 至少 is taught

In the GraphChinese course it is part of Degree & scope words (HSK 4), each one a topic in the dependency graph of HSK 1–6 that opens only once its prerequisites are solid.

Go deeper

• Every HSK 4 word, with the rest of its level.
• The four tones and the neutral tone, to read zhì shǎo correctly.
• Look up another word in the free dictionary.