Usage note
细表示很小、很精细。
xì biǎo shì hěn xiǎo 、 hěn jīng xì。
Thin means very small or fine.
Context note
细常用于线条、观察和声音。
xì cháng yòng yú xiàn tiáo 、 guān chá hé shēng yīn。
Thin often appears with lines, observation, and sound.
5 examples
这条线很细。
zhè tiáo xiàn hěn xì。
This line is very thin.
他看得很细。
tā kàn dé hěn xì。
He looks very carefully.
头发很细。
tóu fa hěn xì。
The hair is very fine.
请说细一点。
qǐng shuō xì yì diǎn。
Please explain in more detail.
这根绳子很细。
zhè gēn shéng zi hěn xì。
This rope is very thin.
5 mini stories
老师让我们看得细一点。
lǎo shī ràng wǒ men kàn dé xì yì diǎn。
The teacher asked us to look more carefully.
这支笔的线很细。
zhè zhī bǐ de xiàn hěn xì。
The line from this pen is very thin.
她的声音很细。
tā de shēng yīn hěn xì。
Her voice is very soft and fine.
他把事情讲得很细。
tā bǎ shì qíng jiǎng dé hěn xì。
He explained the matter in great detail.
这条小路很细。
zhè tiáo xiǎo lù hěn xì。
This little path is very narrow.
Mini dialogue
细心的孩子
A
你画画真好看，线条很细。
Nǐ huà huà zhēn hǎokàn, xiàntiáo hěn xì.
Your drawing is really nice, the lines are very thin.
B
谢谢，我用了一支很细的笔。
Xièxie, wǒ yòng le yī zhī hěn xì de bǐ.
Thank you, I used a very fine pen.
沙子很细
A
这里的沙子摸起来好细啊。
Zhèlǐ de shāzi mō qǐlái hǎo xì a.
The sand here feels so fine.
B
是啊，细细的沙子从手里流下去，很舒服。
Shì a, xì xì de shāzi cóng shǒu lǐ liú xiàqù, hěn shūfu.
Yes, the fine sand flowing through the hand feels very comfortable.
Related words and contrasts
opposite
粗
cū
thick; coarse
The direct opposite of 细 for describing thickness.
related
小
xiǎo
small
Thin things are often small, but 小 is for overall size.