How to say "minor" in Japanese

• マイナーCommon
  na-adjective, nounCovers the sense of 'minor' meaning small, unimportant, or obscure. This is what you want for minor artists, minor sports, or minor details—things that are little known or of slight significance rather than legally underage.
  まだまだマイナーだが、遠とおからず近隣きんりんに出荷しゅっかされるだろう。↗

  It's still minor league but in the not so distant future they'll be coming to a place near you.
• 未成年者みせいねんしゃCommon
  nounRefers to a person who is a minor in the legal sense, i.e. underage. Use this when talking about an individual under the age of majority, as in contracts, drinking, or other age-restricted contexts.
  未み成年者せいねんしゃの喫煙きつえんは法律ほうりつで禁きんじられている。↗

  Minors are prohibited from smoking by law.
• 弱小じゃくしょうCommon
  na-adjective, nounMeans weak and small, or inferior in strength and size, with 'minor' as a secondary gloss. It suits minor nations, teams, or firms—entities that are minor by being weaker or smaller than others. For most other senses of 'minor' it is not the word you want.
• 未成年みせいねんCommon
  no-adjectivePrimarily denotes minority as a status, that is, being under age; it can also refer to an underage person. Choose it when discussing the condition or legal status of being a minor rather than a specific individual.
  君きみは未成年みせいねんだから入いれません。↗

  Because you're a minor, you can't enter.
• 軽やかかろやかCommon
  na-adjectiveBasically means light or easy, with 'minor' and 'non-serious' as marginal senses. It describes something light and graceful in feel, so for a minor issue or problem it is seldom the word you want—other choices above fit better.
  彼女かのじょの足取あしどりは妖精ようせいのように軽かろやかだった。↗

  Her footsteps were as light as a fairy's.

Use 「マイナー」 for things that are obscure or unimportant, 未成年者 or 未成年 for people under legal age, 弱小 for teams or organizations weak in strength or size, and 「軽やか」 only marginally for something light or non-serious.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• マイナーminor
• 未成年者みせいねんしゃminor
• 弱小じゃくしょうweak and small
• 未成年みせいねんminority (i.e. being under age)
• 軽やかかろやかlight
• 非主要ひしゅようminor
• 副専攻ふくせんこうminor (in university or college courses)
• 小行列式しょうぎょうれつしきminor (determinant)
• 群小ぐんしょうtrifling
• 年少者ねんしょうしゃyouth
• 末梢的まっしょうてきtrivial
• ちょっとしたslight
• 劣れつsub-
• 小さいちいさいslight
• 軽いかるいnon-serious
• 細かいこまかいminor
• 短たんminor
• 下っ端したっぱpetty (work, official, etc.)
• 小こminor