薄い|うすいusui[0]heiban (flat)

JLPT N5approx.Common
Definitions
  1. i-adjectivethin (of an object)
    肉にくを薄うすく切きりなさい。↗
    Cut the meat into thin slices.
  2. i-adjectivepale; light; faint
    彼かれはうすい青色あおいろのネクタイをしていた。↗
    He wore a light blue tie.
  3. i-adjectivewatery; thin; diluted
    I prepared a weak solution of sugar and water.
  4. i-adjectiveweak (taste, etc.); little (affection, etc.); not much (of a presence)
    コーヒーは薄うすいのが好すきです。↗
    I'd like my coffee weak.
  5. i-adjectiveslim (probability, etc.); small
    私は成功せいこうの望のぞみが薄うすい。↗
    There is little hope of my success.
  6. i-adjectivesparse; patchy; scattered
Conjugation
Plain form薄い(うすい)
Polite (desu)薄いです(うすいです)
Negative (kunai)薄くない(うすくない)
polite (ku arimasen)薄くありません(うすくありません)
Past (katta)薄かった(うすかった)
Past negative (kunakatta)薄くなかった(うすくなかった)
Te form (kute)薄くて(うすくて)
Adverbial (ku)薄く(うすく)
Conditional (kereba)薄ければ(うすければ)
kattara薄かったら(うすかったら)

Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.

Synonyms & antonyms
  • Synonym薄っぺらうすっぺらCasualColloquial. Thin in a flimsy, shabby way; also describes people or content as shallow, with a negative nuance, as in 「薄っぺらな人間」.
  • Synonym薄手うすでNeutralRefers to cloth, paper and the like being thin in texture; mostly used before a noun, as in 「薄手のシャツ」.
  • Synonym淡いあわいNeutralCovers pale colors and hazy, faint feelings, as in 「淡い恋心」; 「薄い」 differs in that it can also describe thickness.
  • RelatedすけすけCasualColloquial mimetic word for fabric so thin that what is behind shows through, as in 「スケスケの服」.
  • Antonym厚いあついNeutralAntonym for the thickness sense: describes things that are thick, as in 「厚い本」.
  • Antonym濃いこいNeutralAntonym for the diluted sense: colors and flavors that are strong or dark, as in 「濃いコーヒー」.

Default to 「薄い」 for thin objects and for pale colors or diluted flavors. Use 「薄手」 for thin cloth or paper, 「淡い」 for pale colors and hazy feelings, and derogatory 「薄っぺら」 for flimsy or shallow. 「厚い」 is its opposite for thickness, 「濃い」 for strength.

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

Japanese definitions
  1. 板いたや紙かみ、布地ぬのじといった、それを構成こうせいする三さん次元じげん中ちゅう、ある一ひとつの次元じげんが他ほかの二次元にじげんに比くらべ相当そうとうに短みじかい立体りったいにおいて、その距離きょりが比較的ひかくてき短みじかい。
  2. 頭髪とうはつがまばらである。
  3. ある液体えきたい(溶媒ようばい)に物質ぶっしつ(溶質ようしつ)を溶解ようかいさせる場合ばあいに、溶媒ようばいの有ゆうする当該とうがい溶質ようしつを溶解ようかいできる限界げんかい(飽和ほうわ)に対たいして、溶質ようしつの量りょうが少すくない。希釈きしゃくされている。みずっぽい。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also

JLPT vocabulary levels are community estimates, not official (no official lists have been published since the 2010 revision).

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