少
few · little
Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Shape of '小' with one additional stroke. Having just a little.
Symbolism
Rarity, youth, modesty. Aesthetic of 'a little is enough'.
Component Breakdown
small + 丿
Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
希少価値
きしょうかち
scarcity value; rarity value; preciousness
少壮気鋭
しょうそうきえい
young and energetic; up-and-coming
老少不定
ろうしょうふてい
death comes to old and young alike; uncertainty of life
少数精鋭
しょうすうせいえい
elect (select) few
少産少死
しょうさんしょうし
low birth rate and low mortality rate
Proverbs & Idioms
少年よ大志を抱け
しょうねんよたいしをいだけ
Boys, be ambitious
Young people should have big dreams
Anime & Manga
少年ジャンプ作品
Shonen Jump Works
Many masterpieces from manga magazine for 'boys.' Collective term for Jump works.
魔法少女まどか☆マギカ
Puella Magi Madoka Magica
A well-known work with 少 in its Japanese title.
青春ブタ野郎はゆめみる少女の夢を見ない
Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dreaming Girl
A well-known work with 少 in its Japanese title.
地縛少年 花子くん
Toilet-bound Hanako-kun
A well-known work with 少 in its Japanese title.
月刊少女野崎くん
Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun
A well-known work with 少 in its Japanese title.
Related Figures & Stories
清少納言
Name contains 少
Sei Shōnagon , or Seijo ʑo, seꜜː-], lit. 'Lady Sei'), was a Japanese author, poet, and court lady who served the Empress Teishi around the year 1000,…
WikipediaOther kanji with the same meaning
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 少 mean in Japanese?
少 means few, little.
How do you read 少?
On'yomi: ショウ (SHOU). Kun'yomi: すく.ない、すこ.し (sukunai, sukoshi).
How many strokes does 少 have?
少 has 4 strokes. Its radical is 小 (small).
Is 少 a good kanji for a tattoo?
少 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means few, little. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.