<p>Because shào and shǎo has different meaning. shǎo means few/little, and shào means young. When used in names, it is usually intended to address a young person respectfully. </p>

<p>As a given name or as a part of given name, shǎo is very uncommon, yet shào is not. 少 as surname is also uncommon.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-23T21:09:40.193Z
少/shǎo/ is indeed uncommon in given name, but 少/shào/  is very common.
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-24T08:52:31.197Z
Yeah you are right, that slipped my mind.
Luobster
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-23T15:41:17.520Z
2019-01-24T08:55:10.543Z
2019-01-24T08:55:10.543Z
Luobster
<p>少 /shǎo/ : few; little (in number or amount)</p>

<p>少 /shào/ : young; junior </p>

<p>小 /Xiǎo/: small; little (in size)</p>

<p>少/shǎo/(few) is indeed uncommon in given name but 少/shào/(young) and 小/Xiǎo/(small) are very common. All three are unheard of as surname </p>

<p>If you are confused between 少 and 小, just remember a verse from a poem  "少小離家老大回" /shào xiǎo lí jiā lǎo dà huí/</p>

<p>少(young) vs. 老(old) </p>

<p>小(small) vs. 大(big)</p>

<p>It is more confusing in Cantonese because 少(few) and 小(small) are pronounced the same /siu2/ ; while 少(young) is pronounced /siu3/</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-23T20:58:32.940Z
2019-01-23T21:12:12.323Z
2019-01-23T21:12:12.323Z
Tang Ho
<p>少 can either be pronounced as shào or shǎo. But when used in names, is it always pronounced as shào?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-24T12:43:51.960Z
Just ask. It is difficult to guess the meaning of the name carry unless told explicitly.  The pronunciation convention only works for people growth under "pu-tong-hua" speaking environment.
mootmoot
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-24T14:47:02.133Z
Definitly, you can't pronounce shao3, because shao3 is so common.
sfy
<pronunciation><names>
When 少 is used in someone's name, is it always pronounced shào？
# When 少 is used in someone's name, is it always pronounced shào？

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-01-23)

少 can either be pronounced as shào or shǎo. But when used in names, is it always pronounced as shào?

**Tags:** pronunciation, names

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Just ask. It is difficult to guess the meaning of the name carry unless told explicitly.  The pronunciation convention only works for people growth under "pu-tong-hua" speaking environment.  
> **username_2**: Definitly, you can't pronounce shao3, because shao3 is so common.  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2019-01-23. Score: 6

Because shào and shǎo has different meaning. shǎo means few/little, and shào means young. When used in names, it is usually intended to address a young person respectfully.

As a given name or as a part of given name, shǎo is very uncommon, yet shào is not. 少 as surname is also uncommon.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: 少/shǎo/ is indeed uncommon in given name, but 少/shào/  is very common.  
> **username_3**: Yeah you are right, that slipped my mind.  

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### Answer by username_4 on 2019-01-23. Score: 1

少 /shǎo/ : few; little (in number or amount)

少 /shào/ : young; junior

小 /Xiǎo/: small; little (in size)

少/shǎo/(few) is indeed uncommon in given name but 少/shào/(young) and 小/Xiǎo/(small) are very common. All three are unheard of as surname

If you are confused between 少 and 小, just remember a verse from a poem "少小離家老大回" /shào xiǎo lí jiā lǎo dà huí/

少(young) vs. 老(old)

小(small) vs. 大(big)

It is more confusing in Cantonese because 少(few) and 小(small) are pronounced the same /siu2/ ; while 少(young) is pronounced /siu3/


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