小さい

Pattern visualization

Examples

1. 小さい子供が三人います。▶ —
   There are three small children.
2. もっと小さい声で話してください。▶ —
   Please speak in a quieter voice.

Collocations

Mnemonic

ちいさい — 小さい, Yamato. An i-adjective. The pair to 大きい ookii. The kanji 小 is a small mark at the centre with two strokes shrinking away on either side — the visual of 'becoming small'. Before a noun, the same two coats as 大きい — descriptive: 小さい家 (a small house). poetic: 小さな家 (a small house — in tales and poetry) ── the 'little house' in fairy tales is almost always 小さな. The reach is broad — size, voice, age. '小さい子供' is not about physical size but about being young. The Korean reading so is sister to the onyomi しょう — 小学校 shougakkou (elementary school).

Quick check

1. What is the adverbial form (became ~) of 小さい?

   • 小さくなる chiisaku naru (correct: -く + なる)
   • 小さいなる (wrong, missing く change)
   • 小さに なる (wrong)
   • 小ささる (wrong)