Small in Japanese
"small" in Japanese, with the kanji that carry the meaning.
4 Japanese kanji carry the meaning "small". The most common choice is shown first.
Which one to use
小 is small. 幅 is width, and a narrow one. 寸 is a tiny amount and an old unit of length, the 寸 of 寸法. 匹 counts small animals. Japanese separates small in size from small in importance.
Top pick
little, small
Reading: shou
3 strokes
Where it comes from
Shape of dividing something small. Three dots representing smallness.
What it carries
Tiny, humble, delicate. Japanese aesthetic of attending to small things.
Related kanji for "small"
small
fuku · dynamic
Composed of cloth and full. Full cloth.
small
sun
Shape of finger width. Unit of length.
small
hitsu · nature, dynamic
Shape of stacked cloth. Counter.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Japanese kanji for small?
The most common kanji for "small" is 小, read as shou. It means little, small. Related kanji: 幅 (small), 寸 (small), 匹 (small).
How many strokes does 小 have?
小 has 3 strokes.