小说

This is an old revision of the document!

xiǎoshuō: 小说 - Novel, Fiction

Quick Summary

  • Keywords: xiaoshuo, xiao shuo, 小说, Chinese novel, Chinese fiction, Chinese literature, what is xiaoshuo, how to say novel in Chinese, story in Chinese, wuxia, web novel
  • Summary: 小说 (xiǎoshuō) is the Chinese word for “novel” or “fiction.” It covers everything from epic classical literature like *Journey to the West* to modern, globally popular web novels. Understanding 小说 is key to exploring China's rich literary history, its pop culture, and how stories have been valued and consumed, from ancient imperial courts to today's bustling internet forums.

Core Meaning

  • Pinyin (with tone marks): xiǎo shuō
  • Part of Speech: Noun
  • HSK Level: HSK 4
  • Concise Definition: A work of prose fiction, such as a novel, novella, or short story.
  • In a Nutshell: 小说 (xiǎoshuō) is the standard word for any story that is written down and isn't true. It's the book you pick up when you want to escape into another world. Whether you're talking about a short story, a thousand-page epic, a sci-fi thriller, or a romance, they are all types of 小说.

Character Breakdown

  • 小 (xiǎo): Means “small,” “little,” or “minor.”
  • 说 (shuō): Means “to speak,” “to say,” or “a theory/saying.”
  • Combined Meaning: Literally, 小说 translates to “small talk” or “minor sayings.” This name reflects the traditional Confucian view in imperial China, where fiction was considered a less serious and less important form of writing compared to official histories (正史, zhèngshǐ) and philosophical classics. While this view has changed, the name remains a fascinating window into China's historical literary hierarchy.

Cultural Context and Significance

  • Historical Perspective: For centuries, fiction (小说) occupied a lower rung on the ladder of literary prestige than poetry, history, and philosophy. It was entertainment, often seen as street-level gossip or unofficial tales. However, this didn't stop the creation of some of the world's most enduring literary works, known as the Four Great Classical Novels (四大名著, Sì Dà Míng Zhù), which form the bedrock of Chinese cultural literacy.
  • Comparison to “Novel” in the West: In Western culture, the novel rose to prominence as a respected art form that explored psychological depth and social commentary, often seen as on par with other high arts. In China, while novels certainly achieved this, they always contended with the shadow of “official” or “serious” writing. The value system was different; a historian was traditionally more revered than a novelist.
  • The Modern Revolution - Web Novels: Today, the concept of 小说 has been completely revolutionized by the internet. China is the world's largest market for 网络小说 (wǎngluò xiǎoshuō), or web novels. These are often serialized stories, published chapter by chapter online, spanning genres like fantasy (玄幻, xuánhuàn), martial arts (武侠, wǔxiá), and romance (言情, yánqíng). This phenomenon has created a new generation of celebrity authors and has become a massive source for film, TV, and animation adaptations, making 小说 more central to modern pop culture than ever before.

Practical Usage in Modern China

  • Everyday Conversation: 小说 is a common, neutral term used by everyone. You'd use it to ask a friend for a book recommendation (“你有什么好看的小说推荐吗？”) or to say what you do in your free time (“我周末喜欢在家看小说”).
  • Genre Specification: People rarely just say they like 小说; they specify the genre. For example:
    • 科幻小说 (kēhuàn xiǎoshuō): Science fiction novel
    • 武侠小说 (wǔxiá xiǎoshuō): Martial arts novel
    • 言情小说 (yánqíng xiǎoshuō): Romance novel
    • 历史小说 (lìshǐ xiǎoshuō): Historical fiction novel
  • Online and Social Media: The term is ubiquitous online. Readers discuss plots (情节, qíngjié) and characters (人物, rénwù) of popular web novels on forums like Douban and Zhihu. The abbreviation “xs” is sometimes used in online slang.

Example Sentences

  • Example 1:
    • 我非常喜欢读小说。
    • Pinyin: Wǒ fēicháng xǐhuān dú xiǎoshuō.
    • English: I really like to read novels.
    • Analysis: A simple, common sentence expressing a hobby. This is the most basic and frequent use of the word.
  • Example 2:
    • 这本小说的情节太吸引人了！
    • Pinyin: Zhè běn xiǎoshuō de qíngjié tài xīyǐn rén le!
    • English: The plot of this novel is so captivating!
    • Analysis: Here, 小说 is used with the measure word for books, 本 (běn). The sentence also introduces the related word 情节 (qíngjié), meaning “plot.”
  • Example 3:
    • 他是一位著名的小说家，写了很多畅销小说。
    • Pinyin: Tā shì yī wèi zhùmíng de xiǎoshuōjiā, xiěle hěnduō chàngxiāo xiǎoshuō.
    • English: He is a famous novelist who has written many bestselling novels.
    • Analysis: This shows the related term 小说家 (xiǎoshuōjiā), “novelist.” Note how 家 (jiā) is added to indicate a specialist or expert.
  • Example 4:
    • 你有没有读过金庸的武侠小说？
    • Pinyin: Nǐ yǒu méiyǒu dúguò Jīn Yōng de wǔxiá xiǎoshuō?
    • English: Have you ever read Jin Yong's martial arts novels?
    • Analysis: This places 小说 in a specific cultural context, referencing the most famous martial arts (武侠, wǔxiá) novelist, Jin Yong.
  • Example 5:
    • 很多年轻人现在都在网上追网络小说。
    • Pinyin: Hěnduō niánqīng rén xiànzài dōu zài wǎngshàng zhuī wǎngluò xiǎoshuō.
    • English: Many young people are now following web novels online.
    • Analysis: This highlights the modern cultural phenomenon of web novels (网络小说, wǎngluò xiǎoshuō). The verb 追 (zhuī), “to chase” or “to follow,” is commonly used for keeping up with serialized content.
  • Example 6:
    • 这部电视剧是根据一部热门小说改编的。
    • Pinyin: Zhè bù diànshìjù shì gēnjù yī bù rèmén xiǎoshuō gǎibiān de.
    • English: This TV series is adapted from a popular novel.
    • Analysis: This demonstrates the common media practice in China of adapting novels into other formats. 改编 (gǎibiān) means “to adapt.”
  • Example 7:
    • 我不喜欢悲剧小说，它们让我太难过了。
    • Pinyin: Wǒ bù xǐhuān bēijù xiǎoshuō, tāmen ràng wǒ tài nánguò le.
    • English: I don't like tragic novels; they make me too sad.
    • Analysis: Shows how to express preferences by combining a genre/type (悲剧, bēijù - tragedy) with 小说.
  • Example 8:
    • 虽然这本小说很厚，但我一个星期就读完了。
    • Pinyin: Suīrán zhè běn xiǎoshuō hěn hòu, dàn wǒ yī gè xīngqī jiù dú wán le.
    • English: Although this novel is very thick, I finished reading it in just one week.
    • Analysis: This sentence uses physical attributes (厚, hòu - thick) to describe a book.
  • Example 9:
    • 这不完全是事实，更像是一本小说。
    • Pinyin: Zhè bù wánquán shì shìshí, gèng xiàng shì yī běn xiǎoshuō.
    • English: This isn't entirely the truth; it's more like a work of fiction.
    • Analysis: Here, 小说 is used metaphorically to imply that something is fabricated or untrue, contrasting it with 事实 (shìshí), “fact.”
  • Example 10:
    • 老师让我们写一篇短篇小说作为作业。
    • Pinyin: Lǎoshī ràng wǒmen xiě yī piān duǎnpiān xiǎoshuō zuòwéi zuòyè.
    • English: The teacher had us write a short story as homework.
    • Analysis: This introduces the term for “short story,” 短篇小说 (duǎnpiān xiǎoshuō), which uses 短 (duǎn - short) and the measure word 篇 (piān) for articles or short pieces of writing.

Nuances and Common Mistakes

  • 小说 (xiǎoshuō) vs. 故事 (gùshi): This is the most common point of confusion for learners.
    • 小说 (xiǎoshuō): Refers specifically to a written work of *fiction* (a novel, novella, short story). You read (读, dú) or write (写, xiě) a 小说.
    • 故事 (gùshi): Is a much broader term for “story.” It can be a true story, a lie, a plot summary, an anecdote, a fairy tale, or a fable. You can tell (讲, jiǎng) or listen to (听, tīng) a 故事.
    • Example of mistake: `他给我讲了一个很有趣的小说。` (Incorrect)
    • Correction: `他给我讲了一个很有趣的故事。` (He told me a very interesting story.) OR `我读了一本很有趣的小说。` (I read a very interesting novel.)
  • “Novel” as in “New”: The English word “novel” can be an adjective meaning “new and original” (e.g., “a novel idea”). The Chinese word 小说 never has this meaning. It is strictly a noun for a type of literature. To express “a novel idea,” you would say something like 新颖的想法 (xīnyǐng de xiǎngfǎ).

Related Terms and Concepts

  • 故事 (gùshi) - The broader term for “story.” A 小说 is a type of 故事.
  • 文学 (wénxué) - Literature; the academic study of written works, including novels.
  • 小说家 (xiǎoshuōjiā) - A novelist, an author of fiction.
  • 网络小说 (wǎngluò xiǎoshuō) - Web novel. A hugely popular modern form of serialized fiction in China.
  • 武侠 (wǔxiá) - Martial arts chivalry; a very popular genre of Chinese fiction.
  • 科幻 (kēhuàn) - Science Fiction (abbreviation of 科学幻想, kēxué huànxiǎng).
  • 四大名著 (Sì Dà Míng Zhù) - The Four Great Classical Novels, the cornerstone of Chinese literary canon.
  • 情节 (qíngjié) - The plot of a story or novel.
  • 人物 (rénwù) - A character or figure in a story or novel.
  • 散文 (sǎnwén) - Prose; non-fictional essays. Often seen as a counterpart to fiction.