# min

/ˈmɪn/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/min
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. minute

noun · CEFR A1 · Informal

Stands for minute.

For teachers: Abbreviation for minute. Frequently used in informal writing, technical specifications, or on digital interfaces where space is limited.

- The recipe says to cook the pasta for 8 to 10 min until it is soft.
- The digital display indicated that the next train was due in approximately 4 min, though the platform remained largely empty.

### 3. Chinese language group

noun · CEFR C2 · Academic

a group of related Chinese languages spoken in Fujian province and other areas.

For teachers: A major branch of the Sinitic languages, primarily spoken in Fujian province and by the Chinese diaspora; includes varieties such as Hokkien.

- He is studying the history of the Min languages in southern China.
- Linguistic research into the Min group reveals a complex history of migration and isolation that has preserved many archaic features of Old Chinese.

### 4. less or smaller

adjective · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Dialect

a very old word for something smaller or less.

For teachers: An archaic or dialectal term meaning smaller, lower, or less in quantity or degree.

- The old poem spoke of a min amount of hope remaining.
- The scholar noted that the use of 'min' as a comparative adjective had largely vanished from the dialect by the late nineteenth century.

## Examples

- The timer shows one min left.
- The recipe says to cook the pasta for at least eight min until it is soft.
- In the technical manual, the cooling period is listed as a five min interval to prevent the engine from overheating during the testing phase.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.