How to say "slender" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 細いほそいi-adjectiveThe everyday adjective for anything physically thin or slender — a waist, fingers, branches, a thread. It describes the object itself and is the default choice when 'slender' simply means 'thin'.
- na-adjectiveThe loanword from English 'slender', used of a person's figure: a tall, slender woman. It describes an attractively slim body shape rather than the thinness of objects.
- na-adjectiveA loanword that in Japanese means 'slim': it describes a person with a trim, slender figure. Note that it does not mean English 'smart' in the sense of intelligent.
- 細身ほそみno-adjectiveA noun meaning a slender figure or build. Use it when you want to name the body type itself — a person of slender build — rather than describe it with an adjective.
Use 「細い」 for things or body parts that are physically thin, 「スレンダー」 and 「スマート」 for a person's slim figure, and 細身 when naming a slender build as a noun.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
