Japanese kanji 少: a little; a little while

The idea

少 has 4 strokes. Follow the order in the linked KanjiVG diagram. Compare 少し（すこし）, “a little; a little while”, with 少ない（すくない）, “few; little in quantity”. A character may be read differently from word to word; learn each word as a unit.

Examples

• 水みずを少すこしください。A little water, please.
• 今日きょうは時間じかんが少すくないです。I have little time today.
• 少年しょうねんは本ほんを読よみます。The boy reads a book.
• 少女しょうじょは駅えきにいます。The girl is at the station.
• ここで少すこし待まってください。Please wait here a moment.
• ここは人ひとが少すくないです。There are few people here.

Watch out

少し is an adverb meaning “a little”; 少ない is an adjective describing a small quantity or number. Compare the shape of 少 with 小; notice how their components differ.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading of 少し (a little; a little while) in hiragana.

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   すこし

   少し is read すこし and means “a little; a little while”. Remember the reading as part of the whole word.

2. Write the reading of 少ない (few; little in quantity) in hiragana.

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   すくない

   少ない is read すくない and means “few; little in quantity”. Remember the reading as part of the whole word.

3. Fill in the missing kanji: ＿年（しょうねん）.

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   少

   少 completes 少年（しょうねん）, meaning “boy; youth”.

4. Which word means “boy; youth”? Write the whole word using kanji: 少年 or 少女.

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   少年

   少年 is read しょうねん and means “boy; youth”. Remember the reading as part of the whole word. 少女 instead means “girl; young girl”.

Use it today

Write 少 three times following the linked stroke diagram. Cover the table, read 少し and 少ない aloud, and then check their readings and meanings.