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On'yomi
ショウ
SHOU
Kun'yomi
ちい.さい・こ-・お-・さ-
chiisai / ko / o / sa

little · small

Details

Strokes3
Frequency#114
Radicalsmall(3)

Stroke Order

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Strokes3

Cultural Context

Etymology

Shape of dividing something small. Three dots representing smallness.

Symbolism

Tiny, humble, delicate. Japanese aesthetic of attending to small things.

Related Culture & Scenes

  • Small joy

Words & Expressions

Four-Character Compounds

過小評価

かしょうひょうか

underestimation; undervaluation; underestimation

小春日和

こはるびより

Indian summer (around November); mild late autumn weather; mild late fall weather; Indian summer (around November)

小心翼々

しょうしんよくよく

very timid; very nervous; faint-hearted; very timid

針小棒大

しんしょうぼうだい

exaggeration; making a mountain out of a molehill; exaggeration

大同小異

だいどうしょうい

essentially the same with only minor differences; essentially the same with only minor differences

高手小手

たかてこて

bound hands and arms; bound hands and arms

軽薄短小

けいはくたんしょう

small, light and thin (of consumer products, esp. electronics); small, light and thin (of consumer products, esp. electronics)

小国寡民

しょうこくかみん

small country with a small population (The Chinese philosopher Lao-tze's ideal of a state); small country with a small population (The Chinese philosopher Lao-tze's ideal of a state)

小人閑居

しょうじんかんきょ

a small-minded person being idle (tends to do evil); a small-minded person being idle (tends to do evil)

胆大心小

たんだいしんしょう

being bold and courageous, but also careful and meticulous; being bold and courageous, but also careful and meticulous

腕白小僧

わんぱくこぞう

naughty boy; mischievous boy; little rascal; naughty boy

Proverbs & Idioms

小事は大事

しょうじはだいじ

Small things matter

Even small matters are important

Poetry

和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

小倉山 峰のもみぢ葉 心あらば 今ひとたびの みゆき待たなむ

Poem #26 from Hyakunin Isshu

貞信公Teishin Kō
10th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

浅茅生の 小野の篠原 しのぶれど あまりてなどか 人の恋しき

Poem #39 from Hyakunin Isshu

参議等Sangi Hitoshi
10th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

世の中は つねにもがもな 渚こぐ あまの小舟の 綱手かなしも

Poem #93 from Hyakunin Isshu

鎌倉右大臣Kamakura no Udaijin
13th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

風そよぐ ならの小川の 夕暮れは みそぎぞ夏の しるしなりける

Poem #98 from Hyakunin Isshu

従二位家隆Junii Ietaka
13th century

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