微乎其微
wēi hū qí wēi
negligible; next to nothing
Character by character
微wēi
tiny
tiny
乎hū
(particle)
(particle)
其qí
its
its
微wēi
tiny
tiny
Example
这么大的城市，在街上碰到老同学的可能性微乎其微。
In a city this big, the chance of running into an old classmate in the street is next to nothing.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
Used of chances, effects and amounts: 可能性、概率、影响 微乎其微. Usually the predicate, sometimes before 的 (微乎其微的变化); it already means “tiny”, so it never takes 很 or 非常.
Learn this in Lesson 141 · HSK 7–9: 考驾照，抢车牌 (Driving tests and number plates)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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