小さい
ちいさい·chiisai
Meaning
small; little; tiny; quiet (for sounds)
Nuance & Usage
小さい is the opposite of 大きい and describes physical smallness, low volume, or minor degree. Like 大きい, it has an alternative attributive form 小さな (chiisana): 小さな子ども (a small child). Both forms are common and essentially interchangeable before nouns, but only 小さい works as a predicate. Used for sounds: 声が小さい (quiet voice). Also used figuratively: 心が小さい (narrow-minded / petty).
Common Mistakes
The same rule as 大きい applies: 小さな can only precede a noun, never end a sentence as a predicate. ✓ この子は小さい ✗ この子は小さな. Also, don't confuse 小さい (physical size) with 少ない (sukunai — few in number/not many), which describes quantity, not size. Example: 子どもが少ない (there are few children) is different from 子どもが小さい (the children are small/young).
Example Sentences (3)
この部屋は少し小さいですが、きれいです。
このへやはすこしちいさいですが、きれいです。
This room is a little small, but it's clean.
もう少し大きな声で話してください。
もうすこしおおきなこえではなしてください。
Please speak a little louder.
小さい子どもがいるので静かにしてください。
ちいさいこどもがいるのでしずかにしてください。
Please be quiet because there are small children here.
Quick Quiz
Quick Quiz
N54 questionsTest your knowledge of 小さい with 4 different question types.
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