小 expresses the idea “small”. Meet it in an adjective and in everyday words, where its reading can change.

The idea

小 has 3 strokes. Write the hooked centre stroke, then the left and right dots. 小さい can describe a noun or end a sentence before です; 小さな goes directly before a noun. 小学校 is read しょうがっこう; 小鳥 is read ことり. Learn each word with its reading.

Patterns to compare
Japanese formMeaning and use
小ちいさいadjective: small
小ちいさなbefore a noun: small
小学校しょうがっこうelementary school
小鳥ことりsmall bird

Examples

  • 小ちいさい猫ねこがいます。There is a small cat.
  • この部屋へやは小ちいさいです。This room is small.
  • 小ちいさな花はなを見みます。I see a small flower.
  • 小学校しょうがっこうの前まえに公園こうえんがあります。There is a park in front of the elementary school.
  • 小鳥ことりが庭にわにいます。There is a small bird in the garden.
  • 小ちいさいかばんを買かいます。I buy a small bag.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

Do not use 小さな alone as a sentence ending: put a noun after it. Compare 小 with 少 and notice the extra stroke in the similar character.

Try it yourself

  1. Write ちいさい using kanji.

    Show answer or example answer

    小さい

    小さい writes ちいさい with the kanji 小 and its kana ending.

  2. Choose the form that can directly precede a noun: 小さな / 小さいです.

    Show answer or example answer

    小さな

    小さな goes directly before a noun; 小さいです is a predicate and cannot go in that slot.

  3. Choose the word for elementary school: しょうがっこう / ことり. Write it in kanji.

    Show answer or example answer

    小学校

    小学校 is the word for elementary school and is read しょうがっこう.

  4. Which reading means small bird: ことり / しょうがっこう? Write it in hiragana.

    Show answer or example answer

    ことり

    小鳥 means small bird and is read ことり; learn the whole word.

Use it today

Write 小 three times in stroke order. Describe one object with 小さい and one noun with 小さな; read both compound words in the table aloud.