薄い|うすいusui[0]heiban (flat)
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- i-adjectivethin (of an object)
- i-adjectivepale; light; faint
- i-adjectivewatery; thin; diluted
- i-adjectiveweak (taste, etc.); little (affection, etc.); not much (of a presence)
- i-adjectiveslim (probability, etc.); small
- 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.
- 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


