<p>In my opinion, the former means more like "selfish", and the latter means "small household utensils", we Chinese use it to descrip someone who can't understand others with even a small thing.</p>

<p>However, sometimes, "小气' can be "小器".</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-03T09:04:55.093Z
2015-03-03T09:04:55.093Z
user112404
<p>From Beijing's FLP C-E dictionary,  小气 and 小器 are considered identical. 小气 is described as stingy/miserly or narrow-minded, while 小器 is described as equivalent to 小气, without an explanation of its own.
Using a smaller dictionary (Oxford Concise EC-CE), 小器 is not listed. To me this implies that 小器 is less common. I discussed this with two friends of mine who are formally educated in Chinese and they also think both words are the same, although interestingly one of them considered 小器 as the older word.
Finally in "Standard Chinese Dictionary" the entry for 小器 is also "see 小气" with the added comment that in modern times generally 小气 is used.</p>

<p>Therefore it would be that 小气 is in modern usage while 小器 is less common today.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-03T10:49:43.063Z
2015-03-03T10:49:43.063Z
Alex Ung
<p>Today they are interchangeable as long as they mean "miserly". 小器 predates 小氣</p>

<p>In The Analects, Chapter 3 (論語 ‧ 八佾) (4th-3rd century BC)</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>子曰：管仲之<b>器小</b>哉。或曰：管仲儉乎</p>
</blockquote>

<p>"Confucius says <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guan_Zhong">Guan Zhong</a> is miserly, but someone asks if he is frugal?" </p>

<p>Does it make sense that 小器 means miserly? Yes and no because "miserly" and "frugal" are not identical. But 小器 also means narrow-minded or intolerant as if he has small "capacity to contain" (器) different opinions.</p>

<p>In Dream of the Red Chamber (18th century), Cao Xueqin used 小器 and 小氣, both meaning miserly.</p>

<p>In Chapter 40, </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>不送些玩器來與你妹妹，這樣<b>小器</b>。</p>
</blockquote>

<p>"You didn't give those toys to your sister. So miserly"</p>

<p>But in Chapter 67</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我又不是兩三歲的孩子，你也忒把人看得<b>小氣</b>了</p>
</blockquote>

<p>"I'm not a child of 2-3 years old. You are mistaken that I'm miserly"</p>

<p>Does it make sense that 小氣 means miserly? Yes and no because 小氣 also means petty, narrow-minded and frivolous.</p>

<p>In <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanyu_Da_Cidian">漢語大詞典</a>, 小器 and 小氣 are synonyms. In <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciyuan">辭源</a> (1908), which focus on etymology and classical Chinese, only 小器 is listed as entry with the definition</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>小器——吝嗇。同‘小氣’</p>
</blockquote>

<p>小器, miserly, same as 小氣</p>

<p>In many modern dictionaries, 小器 is omitted.</p>

<p>In summary, today you can safely use either 小氣 or 小器 (miserly), either 氣度 or 器度 (tolerance). Only 小氣 (simplified: 气) is more modern. Thus, in <b>modern</b> colloquial 小氣鬼 (a scrooge), 氣 is used.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-04T09:48:47.023Z
Excellent citations and examples, but now I'm more confused!
Mou某
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-04T23:51:43.870Z
@user3306356 Oops, sorry to hear that. Please see summary (take-home message)
SYK
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-04T08:38:34.900Z
2015-03-04T23:50:52.610Z
2015-03-04T23:50:52.610Z
SYK
<p>Especially in the sense of stingy, miserly.</p>

<p>What's the difference between 小气 and 小器?</p>

<p>I remember being told that one is more "<em>correct</em>", than the other, but I can't quite recall which.</p>

<p>The search results I've seen are just people giving their own opinions rather than citations or anything of the like.</p>

<p>So, what's the deal?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-21T00:18:20.223Z
To me, "小器" makes more sense than "小氣" because "器" is referring to 器度/胸懷 (capacity/tolerance).  On the other hand, "氣度" refers more to 氣魄 (verve) and 氣概 (mettle).
Henry HO
<difference>
Difference: 小气 vs. 小器?
# Difference: 小气 vs. 小器?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-03-02)

Especially in the sense of stingy, miserly.

What's the difference between 小气 and 小器?

I remember being told that one is more "*correct*", than the other, but I can't quite recall which.

The search results I've seen are just people giving their own opinions rather than citations or anything of the like.

So, what's the deal?

**Tags:** difference

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: To me, "小器" makes more sense than "小氣" because "器" is referring to 器度/胸懷 (capacity/tolerance).  On the other hand, "氣度" refers more to 氣魄 (verve) and 氣概 (mettle).  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2015-03-04. Score: 10 | Accepted answer

Today they are interchangeable as long as they mean "miserly". 小器 predates 小氣

In The Analects, Chapter 3 (論語 ‧ 八佾) (4th-3rd century BC)

> 子曰：管仲之**器小**哉。或曰：管仲儉乎

"Confucius says [Guan Zhong](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guan_Zhong) is miserly, but someone asks if he is frugal?"

Does it make sense that 小器 means miserly? Yes and no because "miserly" and "frugal" are not identical. But 小器 also means narrow-minded or intolerant as if he has small "capacity to contain" (器) different opinions.

In Dream of the Red Chamber (18th century), Cao Xueqin used 小器 and 小氣, both meaning miserly.

In Chapter 40,

> 不送些玩器來與你妹妹，這樣**小器**。

"You didn't give those toys to your sister. So miserly"

But in Chapter 67

> 我又不是兩三歲的孩子，你也忒把人看得**小氣**了

"I'm not a child of 2-3 years old. You are mistaken that I'm miserly"

Does it make sense that 小氣 means miserly? Yes and no because 小氣 also means petty, narrow-minded and frivolous.

In [漢語大詞典](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanyu_Da_Cidian), 小器 and 小氣 are synonyms. In [辭源](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciyuan) (1908), which focus on etymology and classical Chinese, only 小器 is listed as entry with the definition

> 小器——吝嗇。同‘小氣’

小器, miserly, same as 小氣

In many modern dictionaries, 小器 is omitted.

In summary, today you can safely use either 小氣 or 小器 (miserly), either 氣度 or 器度 (tolerance). Only 小氣 (simplified: 气) is more modern. Thus, in **modern** colloquial 小氣鬼 (a scrooge), 氣 is used.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Excellent citations and examples, but now I'm more confused!  
> **username_4**: @user3306356 Oops, sorry to hear that. Please see summary (take-home message)  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-03-03. Score: 3

In my opinion, the former means more like "selfish", and the latter means "small household utensils", we Chinese use it to descrip someone who can't understand others with even a small thing.

However, sometimes, "小气' can be "小器".


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2015-03-03. Score: 1

From Beijing's FLP C-E dictionary, 小气 and 小器 are considered identical. 小气 is described as stingy/miserly or narrow-minded, while 小器 is described as equivalent to 小气, without an explanation of its own.
Using a smaller dictionary (Oxford Concise EC-CE), 小器 is not listed. To me this implies that 小器 is less common. I discussed this with two friends of mine who are formally educated in Chinese and they also think both words are the same, although interestingly one of them considered 小器 as the older word.
Finally in "Standard Chinese Dictionary" the entry for 小器 is also "see 小气" with the added comment that in modern times generally 小气 is used.

Therefore it would be that 小气 is in modern usage while 小器 is less common today.


---

