ChiramiN4 kanji · 4 strokes
少 means few, a little
少
小 small · 丿 a slice cut off
少Memory trick
Small (小), with a slice cut off: few, a little.
Memory trick: a picture to help you remember the kanji, not its history.
Meaning and readings
- Meanings
- few, little
- JLPT level
- N4
- Strokes
- 4
- School grade
- Grade 2 in Japan
Japanese (kunyomi) すくない sukunai
すくない (sukunai) is the Japanese word for this kanji. You use it when the kanji stands alone or has kana after it. Dictionaries call this the kun reading.
Other Japanese readings: すこし sukoshi
From Chinese (onyomi) ショウ shou
ショウ (shou) came from Chinese with the character. You mostly hear it in words made of several kanji. Dictionaries call this the on reading.
Tap a reading to see when it's used. Why kanji have two kinds of reading: onyomi vs kunyomi.
Common word
少し すこし · sukoshi
a little, a bit
Built from
- 小 little
- 丿 a sweeping stroke
Tap a part to see the N5 and N4 kanji that use it.
小 Used in 128 kanji
See all 6 at N5 and N4Quick check
What does 少 mean?
Right: 少 means few, a little.Not quite: 少 means few, a little.In 少し, which reading does 少 use?
Right. 少し is read すこし (sukoshi): 少 takes すこ, its Japanese reading, with し after it.Not quite. 少し is read すこし (sukoshi): 少 takes すこ, its Japanese reading, with し after it.