How to say 'A little' in Japanese | 少し

word

Meaning

A little

Reading

Kanji

少Few

Explanation

The Japanese adverb '少し (すこし)' means 'a little' or 'a bit'. It is used to indicate a small quantity, degree, or extent of something. This word is versatile and can be applied to various contexts, such as time, amount, or degree. For example: I have a little time「少し時間があります」(すこしじかんがあります). Please wait a little longer「もう少し待ってください」(もうすこしまってください). It can also be used to soften requests or statements, making them sound more polite. Note that '少し' is often used in everyday conversation and is considered neutral in tone.

Part Of Speech

adverb

Kanji JLPT

N4

Kanji Grade

2

Frequency

204

Composition

kanji-hiragana

Handwriting