少 — Few, Little, Small

Meaning

The kanji 少 (shō) signifies "few," "little," or "a small quantity." It fundamentally represents a reduction or scarcity when compared to a larger amount. Visually, 少 is closely related to the kanji 小 (shō), which means "small." The character 小 is a pictograph showing three small dots, suggesting something tiny or insignificant. 少 builds on this concept by adding a stroke to the top right. This addition hints at a smaller part of something already small, emphasizing the idea of "less."

Historically, 少 likely evolved from an image of scattered, small grains, conveying "few in number." This visual origin makes it straightforward to remember. The kanji has four strokes, drawn in a specific order: first the central vertical stroke, then the two shorter, angled strokes on the sides, and finally the dot/stroke at the top right. Japanese students typically learn this kanji early, often in the second grade, as it's foundational for expressing quantities. Its inclusion in the N5 JLPT level highlights its basic and frequent use in daily Japanese. Mastering 少 is essential for beginners to describe limited amounts or reduced states.

Readings

On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings

On'yomi readings for 少 come from ancient Chinese pronunciations. You'll typically find them when 少 is part of a compound word, paired with other kanji. The most common on'yomi for 少 is ショウ (shō).

ショウ (shō): This reading appears frequently in words related to age, quantity, or reduction. It generally conveys "few," "little," or "young." When 少 is part of a longer word, especially in formal or academic settings, it almost always uses this pronunciation. It forms the basis for many common terms describing youth or a reduced state.
少年しょうねん (shōnen) — boy; juvenile (literally “few years”)
少女しょうじょ (shōjo) — girl; young girl (literally “few women”)
減少げんしょう (genshō) — decrease; reduction (combining “decrease” with “few”)

Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings

Kun'yomi readings are native Japanese words connected to the meaning of 少. These are often used when the kanji appears alone or with hiragana (okurigana) to form verbs, adjectives, or adverbs. The two main kun'yomi readings are すこ-し (suko-shi) and すく-ない (sukunai), each with its own grammatical role.

すこ-し (sukoshi): This reading forms the adverb 少し, meaning "a little," "a few," or "a small amount." It indicates a slight degree or quantity and is often used to make requests softer or describe minor changes. For example, you might use it to ask for a brief moment, like in 少し考かんがえさせてください (sukoshi kangaesasete kudasai - Please let me think for a moment).
少すこし (sukoshi) — a little; a few; a small amount
もう少しもうすこし (mō sukoshi) — a little more; a bit more (emphasizing a small additional amount)
少すこし待まってください (sukoshi matte kudasai) — Please wait a moment.
すく-ない (sukunai): This reading forms the i-adjective 少ない, meaning "few," "scarce," or "not many." It describes a small number or quantity of something, often implying insufficiency or a lack. This adjective directly modifies nouns, indicating a limited quantity. For instance, you could say チャンスちゃんすが少すくない (chansu ga sukunai) to mean "there are few opportunities."
少すくない (sukunai) — few; scarce; not many; insufficient
人数にんずうが少すくない (ninzū ga sukunai) — The number of people is small/few.
水みずが少すくない (mizu ga sukunai) — There is little water.

Common Words & Compounds

The kanji 少 appears in many Japanese words, signifying smallness, youth, or scarcity. These compounds are vital for expressing various quantities and ages in daily conversations and writing. Below are some common examples, grouped by theme:

Quantities and Degrees

少量しょうりょう (shōryō) — small quantity; small amount. This term describes a small volume or number, often in precise contexts. For instance, a recipe might call for 少量しょうりょうの塩しお (shōryō no shio - a small amount of salt).
多少たしょう (tashō) — more or less; somewhat; a little. Combining 多 ("many") and 少 ("few"), this compound indicates a degree of uncertainty or a moderate amount. You might use it to say 多少難むずかしい (tashō muzukashii - somewhat difficult).
少々しょうしょう (shōshō) — a little; a few. This is a more polite or formal way of saying 少し. It's common in customer service, such as 少々しょうしょうお待ちおまちください (shōshō omachi kudasai - Please wait a moment).

Age and Youth

少年時代しょうねんじだい (shōnen jidai) — boyhood; juvenile years. This refers to the period when someone is a boy, like reminiscing about 私わたしの少年時代しょうねんじだい (watashi no shōnen jidai - my boyhood).
少女漫画しょうじょまんが (shōjo manga) — girls' comics. This genre of Japanese comics targets young female readers.
年少ねんしょう (nenshō) — younger; junior (literally “year few”). Use this to describe someone younger in age or lower in rank, for example, 年少ねんしょうの社員しゃいん (nenshō no shain - a junior employee).

Changes and States

減少げんしょう (genshō) — decrease; reduction. This describes something becoming fewer or smaller in number or amount, such as 人口じんこうの減少げんしょう (jinkō no genshō - population decrease).
最小さいしょう (saishō) — minimum; smallest (combines 最 “most/utmost” and 少 “little”). This refers to the lowest possible value or smallest extent, like 最小限さいしょうげんの努力どりょく (saishōgen no doryoku - minimum effort).
希少きしょう (kishō) — scarcity; rarity (combines 稀 “rare” and 少 “few”). This describes things that are uncommon or in short supply, such as 希少きしょうな動物どうぶつ (kishō na dōbutsu - rare animals).

Expressions and Others

少子化しょうしか (shōshika) — declining birthrate (literally “few child-ification”). This term is often used in discussions about demographic changes, particularly in countries like Japan.
少尉しょうい (shōi) — second lieutenant; ensign (military rank). An example of 少 used in official titles.

Example Sentences

Here are several example sentences demonstrating how 少 is used in different contexts. They range from simpler phrases to more complex expressions, showing how 少 describes quantities, durations, and even age-related concepts.

私わたしは水みずを少すこし飲のみました。

Watashi wa mizu o sukoshi nomimashita.

I drank a little water.

部屋へやには人ひとが少すくないです。

Heya ni wa hito ga sukunai desu.

There are few people in the room.

時間じかんが少すこししかありません。

Jikan ga sukoshi shika arimasen.

There is only a little time.

彼かれは少年しょうねんなのに、とても背せが高たかいです。

Kare wa shōnen nano ni, totemo se ga takai desu.

Although he is a boy, he is very tall.

今日きょうは仕事しごとが少すこし早はやく終おわりました。

Kyō wa shigoto ga sukoshi hayaku owarimashita.

Work finished a little early today.

この地域ちいきは雨あめが少すくないので、水不足みずぶそくが心配しんぱいです。

Kono chiiki wa ame ga sukunai node, mizubusoku ga shinpai desu.

Because this region has little rain, we are worried about water shortages.

彼女かのじょは幼おさない頃ころ、大人おとなよりも少すこし賢かしこかったです。

Kanojo wa osanai koro, otona yori mo sukoshi kashikokatta desu.

When she was little, she was a little smarter than adults.

人口減少じんこうげんしょうは日本にほんの大おおきな社会問題しゃかいもんだいです。

Jinkō genshō wa Nihon no ōkina shakai mondai desu.

Population decrease is a big social problem in Japan.

旅行りょこうの計画けいかくに、多少たしょうの変更へんこうが生しょうじるかもしれません。

Ryokō no keikaku ni, tashō no henkō ga shōjiru kamoshiremasen.

There might be some changes (more or less) to the travel plan.

Related Kanji

Memory Tip

To remember 少 (shō), connect it to its similar kanji, 小 (shō), which means "small." Imagine 小 as three tiny scattered dots, representing something small. 少 is formed by adding an extra stroke to the top right of 小. This added stroke visually suggests taking a small part away from something already small, emphasizing "fewness" or "a little bit" rather than just "small size." Think of it as: Small (小) minus a bit = Few/Little (少).