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Un peu de patience, s'il vous plaît.
A little patience, please.
Adverb of small quantity: little, not much.
Il mange peu depuis son opération.
He eats little since his operation.
Peu ≠ un peu: peu is negative (hardly any), un peu is positive (some).
As a masculine noun, means a small amount.
Le peu qu'il gagne suffit.
The little he earns is enough.
From Latin paucus (few, little).