How to say "small" in Japanese

• 小さいちいさいJLPT N5approx.Common
  i-adjectiveThe everyday adjective for physical smallness — a small object, room, animal, or person. It works both before nouns and as a predicate, and is the default choice when 'small' means small in size.
  その机つくえはメグには小ちいさすぎる。↗

  The desk is too small for Meg.
• 小こCommon
  prefixNot a free-standing adjective: this is the prefix element meaning 'small' or 'slight' that forms part of other words. For translating 'small' by itself, learners seldom want this entry.
• 少ないすくないJLPT N5approx.Common
  i-adjectiveCovers 'small' only in the sense of amount, number, or degree — a small quantity, a small number of things, a low figure. It says nothing about physical size, where 小さい is the word.
  この病気びょうきに勝かてる人ひとは少すくない。↗

  Not many survive this disease.
• 細かいこまかいJLPT N4approx.Common
  i-adjectiveSmall in a fine or minute way rather than small overall: fine textures, fine divisions, small details. Choose it when 'small' suggests fineness or granularity, not plain smallness of size.
  塩漬しおづけキャベツを細こまかく切きる。↗

  Chop the pickled cabbage finely.
• 小さなちいさなJLPT N5approx.Common
  pre-noun adjectivalAn attributive word meaning 'small; little; tiny': it comes directly before a noun and cannot end a sentence, otherwise working much like 小さい.
  その犬いぬは小ちいさな男の子おとこのこに向むかって唸うなった。↗

  The dog growled at a little boy.

Use 「小さい」 (or the noun-modifying 「小さな」) for physical size, 「少ない」 for small amounts or numbers, and 「細かい」 for fine or minute smallness; 小 is a prefix element rather than a free-standing word.

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

• 小さいちいさいsmall
• 小こsmall
• 少ないすくないfew
• 細かいこまかいsmall
• 小さなちいさなsmall
• 狭いせまいnarrow
• わずかa little
• 細かこまかsmall
• 少しょうsmall
• ささやかsmall
• 小粒こつぶsmall (of a grain or berry, etc.)
• マイナーminor
• 小幅こはばsmall
• プチsmall
• 手狭てぜまnarrow
• 小おsmall
• 細ささsmall
• 細いこまいsmall
• スモールsmall
• 小ぐゎーsmall
• ちまちまsmall
• ささらsmall
• 心ばかりこころばかりsmall (token of one's gratitude, etc.)
• ちいちゃいsmall
• 眇たるびょうたるsmall
• ちっちゃこいsmall
• 掌大しょうだいsmall
• ちゃんこいsmall
• ちっさいsmall
• ちっさなsmall
• ちびっこいsmall
• 微々びびslight
• 狭隘きょうあいnarrow
• 僅少きんしょうa little
• 器の小さいうつわのちいさいintolerant
• 器が小さいうつわがちいさいintolerant
• 姫ひめsmall
• 小型こがたsmall
• 若いわかいlow (number)
• そぼろfine
• 矮小わいしょうnarrow (e.g. thinking)
• 軽いかるいslight
• まめsmall
• 薄いうすいslim (probability, etc.)
• Ｓエスsmall
• ぷちっshortly