<p>一下 is a little (time.) This makes it mostly after a verb. I believe the two most common uses are:</p>

<ul>
<li>等一下 (děng yíxià) Wait a bit</li>
<li>休息一下 (xiūxi yíxià) Rest a little while</li>
</ul>

<p>It is also used as a numeral classifier after a verb, indicating an attempt or act:</p>

<ul>
<li>看一下 (kàn yíxià) have a look</li>
<li>试一下 (shì yíxià) have a try</li>
</ul>

<p>一点（儿） is a little (quantity.) Some common uses are:</p>

<ul>
<li>我会说一点儿。 (Wǒ huì shuō yìdiǎnr.) I can speak a little bit.</li>
<li>快（一）点儿！(Kuài diǎnr!) Hurry up (a bit!)</li>
</ul>

<p>It also gets used before a negative expression (or after 这么 or 那么,) meaning "(not) even a little bit"</p>

<ul>
<li>一点儿也不方便。 (Yìdiǎnr yě bù fāngbiàn.) Not even a little bit convenient.</li>
<li>这事我就知道那么一点儿。 (Zhè shì wǒ jiù zhīdao nàme yìdiǎnr.) That's all I know about it.</li>
</ul>

<p>Contrast this to 有（一）点（儿） which is a little (degree.) Examples:</p>

<ul>
<li>我有点儿累。 (Wǒ yǒudiǎnr lèi.) I'm a bit tired.</li>
<li>第十一课有点儿难 (Dì shí yī kè yǒudiǎnr nán.) Lesson 11 is a bit difficult.</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-13T06:55:21.203Z
+1. 一下 mostly describes the action while 一点 depicts the object (could be abstract). This can be seen in 吃一点儿 vs. 吃一下儿. 吃一点儿 means eating a small amount of food, but 吃一下儿 means the action of eating is swift.
Rephinx
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-13T02:51:03.877Z
2014-05-13T03:10:02.770Z
2014-05-13T03:10:02.770Z
Ming
<p>一下 is mainly talking about time
While
一点 is talking about quantity</p>

<p>One learners dictionary says the following of 一下
(used after a verb to indicate the action is done briefly or casually)</p>

<p>While describing 一点儿 as
a tiny amount, a bit</p>

<p>In your examples 一點兒 has the following meaning</p>

<p>3 {grammar} (a bit) more... (following an adjective, used to form the comparative, e.g., hǎo yī diǎn 好一點/好一点 "[somewhat] better", dà yī diǎn 大一點/大一点 "[a little] larger", etc.)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-12T15:52:38.260Z
2014-05-12T15:52:38.260Z
Mou某
<p>一点儿，一般指数量，如爱你多一点儿；
一下儿，一般指动作，如亲你一下儿。
另外，“儿”在这里没有实际意义。</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-13T17:08:36.727Z
@kaiyu can you please explain this sentence in English. Thank you
user3871
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-13T01:12:22.600Z
2014-05-13T01:12:22.600Z
Kaiyu Lee
<p>Google Translation of Kaiyu Lee's answer:</p>
<p>A little [一点儿], generally refers to quantity, such as loving you a little more; a little [一下儿], generally refers to an action, such as kissing you once</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-01-05T04:09:43.447Z
2023-01-05T04:09:43.447Z
Chris
<p>They both mean "a little bit" according to the dictionary. However, does the meaning both apply in V and Adjective? </p>

<p>i.e. 
V + 一点儿/一下儿 (吃一点儿/吃一下儿，快一点儿/快一下儿) and 
Adj + 一点儿/一下儿 (美一点儿/美一下儿, 好一点儿，好一下儿) </p>

<p>In the above examples, my native Chinese friend told me she rarely or even never heard 快一下儿，美一下儿，好一下儿. So my question: is there any difference of meaning and usage between 一点儿 and 一下儿?</p>

<meaning><usage><difference>
How to use 一点儿 and 一下儿？
# How to use 一点儿 and 一下儿？

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-05-12)

They both mean "a little bit" according to the dictionary. However, does the meaning both apply in V and Adjective?

i.e.
V + 一点儿/一下儿 (吃一点儿/吃一下儿，快一点儿/快一下儿) and
Adj + 一点儿/一下儿 (美一点儿/美一下儿, 好一点儿，好一下儿)

In the above examples, my native Chinese friend told me she rarely or even never heard 快一下儿，美一下儿，好一下儿. So my question: is there any difference of meaning and usage between 一点儿 and 一下儿?

**Tags:** meaning, usage, difference


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## 4 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2014-05-13. Score: 7

一下 is a little (time.) This makes it mostly after a verb. I believe the two most common uses are:

* 等一下 (děng yíxià) Wait a bit
* 休息一下 (xiūxi yíxià) Rest a little while

It is also used as a numeral classifier after a verb, indicating an attempt or act:

* 看一下 (kàn yíxià) have a look
* 试一下 (shì yíxià) have a try

一点（儿） is a little (quantity.) Some common uses are:

* 我会说一点儿。 (Wǒ huì shuō yìdiǎnr.) I can speak a little bit.
* 快（一）点儿！(Kuài diǎnr!) Hurry up (a bit!)

It also gets used before a negative expression (or after 这么 or 那么,) meaning "(not) even a little bit"

* 一点儿也不方便。 (Yìdiǎnr yě bù fāngbiàn.) Not even a little bit convenient.
* 这事我就知道那么一点儿。 (Zhè shì wǒ jiù zhīdao nàme yìdiǎnr.) That's all I know about it.

Contrast this to 有（一）点（儿） which is a little (degree.) Examples:

* 我有点儿累。 (Wǒ yǒudiǎnr lèi.) I'm a bit tired.
* 第十一课有点儿难 (Dì shí yī kè yǒudiǎnr nán.) Lesson 11 is a bit difficult.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: +1. 一下 mostly describes the action while 一点 depicts the object (could be abstract). This can be seen in 吃一点儿 vs. 吃一下儿. 吃一点儿 means eating a small amount of food, but 吃一下儿 means the action of eating is swift.  

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### Answer by username_3 on 2014-05-12. Score: 3

一下 is mainly talking about time
While
一点 is talking about quantity

One learners dictionary says the following of 一下
(used after a verb to indicate the action is done briefly or casually)

While describing 一点儿 as
a tiny amount, a bit

In your examples 一點兒 has the following meaning

3 {grammar} (a bit) more... (following an adjective, used to form the comparative, e.g., hǎo yī diǎn 好一點/好一点 "[somewhat] better", dà yī diǎn 大一點/大一点 "[a little] larger", etc.)


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### Answer by username_4 on 2014-05-13. Score: 1

一点儿，一般指数量，如爱你多一点儿；
一下儿，一般指动作，如亲你一下儿。
另外，“儿”在这里没有实际意义。

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: @username_4 can you please explain this sentence in English. Thank you  

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### Answer by username_6 on 2023-01-05. Score: 0

Google Translation of username_4 Lee's answer:

A little [一点儿], generally refers to quantity, such as loving you a little more; a little [一下儿], generally refers to an action, such as kissing you once


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