A little bit – 有一点 yǒu yìdiǎn & 一点 yìdiǎn

Grammar Point:
Both 有一點点 yǒuyīdiǎn and 一點点 yìdiǎn convey the notion of ‘a little’ or ‘a bit,’ but with slight nuances. In China, 有點兒点儿 yǒudiǎnr is more commonly used instead of 有一點点 yǒuyìdiǎn.

Structure

今天jīntiān天氣tiānqì有一點yǒuyìdiǎn熱rè今天jīntiān天气tiānqì有一点yǒuyìdiǎn热rè
Today’s weather is a bit hot.

我wǒ弟弟dìdi有一點yǒuyìdiǎn矮ǎi我wǒ弟弟dìdi有一点yǒuyìdiǎn矮ǎi
My younger brother is a bit short.

我wǒ覺得juéde那nà家jiā店diàn的de珍珠奶茶zhēnzhūnǎichá有一點yǒuyìdiǎn貴guì我wǒ觉得juéde那nà家jiā店diàn的de珍珠奶茶zhēnzhūnǎichá有一点yǒuyìdiǎn贵guì
I think the bubble tea from that shop is a bit expensive.

你nǐ要不要yàobúyào喝hē一點yìdiǎn酒jiǔ？ 你nǐ要不要yàobúyào喝hē一点yìdiǎn酒jiǔ？
Would you like to have a little bit of alcohol

我wǒ早上zǎoshàng吃chī了le一點yìdiǎn飯fàn， 所以suǒyǐ現在xiànzài不bú餓è我wǒ早上zǎoshang吃chī了le一点yìdiǎn饭fàn， 所以suǒyǐ现在xiànzài不bú饿è
I had a little breakfast in the morning, so I’m not hungry now.

我wǒ會huì說shuō一點yìdiǎn日文rìwén我wǒ会huì说shuō一点yìdiǎn日文rìwén
I can speak a little bit of Japanese.

Special Cases

Sometimes is not “有一點点 yǒuyìdiǎn”; it’s actually “有 yǒu” as a verb have or has plus ” 一點点 yìdiǎn”

我wǒ今天jīntiān下午xiàwǔ我wǒ今天jīntiān下午xiàwǔ有yǒu有yǒu一點yìdiǎn時間shíjiān一点yìdiǎn时间shíjiān
I have a bit of time this afternoon.

他tā只zhǐ他tā只zhǐ有yǒu有yǒu一點yìdiǎn錢qián一点yìdiǎn钱qián
He has only a bit of money.

我wǒ家jiā還hái我wǒ家jiā还hái有yǒu有yǒu一點yìdiǎn洋蔥yángcōng， 你nǐ要yào嗎ma？ 一点yìdiǎn洋葱yángcōng， 你nǐ要yào吗ma？
There’s still a bit of onion at home. Do you want it?

Something you need to know

有一點点 yǒuyìdiǎn is typically employed neutrally to indicate a small amount or degree of something. However, native speakers often use it in a negative context as a polite way to express complaints.

這zhè個ge課kè有一點yǒuyìdiǎn簡單jiǎndān这zhè个ge课kè有一点yǒuyìdiǎn简单jiǎndān
This course is a little bit simple.
(It implies that the speaker is dissatisfied with the current course difficulty and wishes for it to be a bit harder.)

他tā買mǎi的de東西dōngxī常常chángcháng有一點yǒuyìdiǎn便宜piányí他tā买mǎi的de东西dōngxi常常chángcháng有一点yǒuyìdiǎn便宜piányi
The things he buys are often a little bit cheap.
(It suggests that the speaker is dissatisfied with the items purchased by that person and hopes they would buy something a bit more expensive.)

你nǐ做zuò的de菜cài有一點yǒuyìdiǎn好吃hǎochī你nǐ做zuò的de菜cài有一点yǒuyìdiǎn好吃hǎochī ❌
The dish you made is a bit delicious.
(It doesn’t make sense.)

Practice

• Imperatives “to do more” – V + Adj 一點点 yìdiǎn (HSK 2)

• “Not at all” in Chinese – 一點点也不 yìdiǎn yě bù (HSK 3)

• “A bit too” in Chinese – Adj 了點点(儿)diǎndiǎn(r) le diǎndiǎn(r) (HSK 4)