The New Dictionary.
Search dictionary
Chinese/Dictionary entry

屈指可数

qū zhǐ kě shǔdictionary entry
DEFINITION CC-CEDICT
(lit.) can be counted on one's fingers (idiom) / (fig.) very few
Sources & editorial notes

Reference definitions: CC-CEDICT contributors and MDBG, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source release 2026-10-27T01:55:52Z. Imported 2026-10-27. Definition wording and meaning order are retained. Recognized pronunciation references are displayed with tone marks; the original source record is available below.

Source record: cd-47f216ad812443ca. Source SHA-256: bbc4b27f26bee1a262f4d7939667a040c7857c7fc0200a2fa7a86d3352a09eae.

Original source entry:

屈指可數 屈指可数 [qu1 zhi3 ke3 shu3] /(lit.) can be counted on one's fingers (idiom)/(fig.) very few/

Reference definitions and teaching material have separate provenance.

Reference information

The definitions above are from CC-CEDICT. Examples and usage notes are available on selected entries.

Character information

View the individual characters. Their meanings do not necessarily explain the meaning of the whole word.

Other forms in these source records: 屈指可數

  • 屈
    qū

    bent / to feel wronged

    Qū

    surname Qu

  • 指
    zhǐ

    finger / to point at or to / to indicate or refer to / to depend on / to count on / (of hair) to stand on end

  • 可
    kě

    (prefix) can / may / able to / -able / to approve / to permit / to suit / (particle used for emphasis) certainly / very / but / however

    kè

    used in 可汗[kè hán]

  • 数
    shǔ

    to count / to count as / to regard as / to enumerate / to list

    shù

    number / figure / several / a few

    shuò

    (literary) frequently / repeatedly

Reference definitions from CC-CEDICT.