Translation guide
The English phrase "small fry" can refer literally to small fish, or figuratively to insignificant people or things. This guide covers both meanings and how to express them naturally in Japanese.
To refer to people or things that are unimportant, minor, or not worth serious consideration.
To refer to small, often young, fish, especially when used as food or bait.
The most direct translation for 'small fish'. Used in cooking and everyday contexts.
Both can mean 'small fry' figuratively, but 小物 emphasizes pettiness or lack of stature, while 雑魚 emphasizes weakness or low rank, often in competitive contexts. 雑魚 is more slangy and can be insulting.
Do not translate 'small fry' literally as 小さな揚げ物 (chiisana agemono) when referring to people; that means 'small deep-fried food' and will cause confusion.
彼は自分を大物だと思っているが、所詮小物だ。
He thinks he's a big shot, but he's just small fry.
取るに足らないことは気にするな。本題に集中しろ。
Don't worry about the small fry; focus on the main issue.
He's just small fry after all.
あんな小物に構っている暇はない。
I don't have time to bother with such small fry.
A set phrase meaning 'insignificant' or 'trivial'. Can modify people or things. More formal than 小物.
彼は取るに足らない存在だ。
He's an insignificant presence (small fry).
そんな取るに足らない問題で悩むな。
Don't worry about such small-fry problems.
Literally 'small fish' or 'trash fish'. Used figuratively to mean 'small fry' in the sense of weak or unimportant opponents, especially in games or competitive contexts. Can be derogatory.
あんな雑魚相手に負けるわけがない。
There's no way I'd lose to small fry like that.
Means 'a mere' or 'a small part of' a group. Often used humbly or dismissively, e.g., 'a mere student'. Can convey the idea of being small fry within a larger category.
私も医者の端くれです。
I'm just a small-fry doctor myself.
Means 'second-rate'. Used to describe people or things that are not top-tier, similar to 'small fry' in a hierarchical sense.
彼は二流の選手だ。
He's a small-fry player.
小魚をから揚げにした。
I deep-fried some small fry.
猫が小魚を食べている。
The cat is eating small fish.
Specifically refers to very young fish, fry or fingerlings. Often used in fishing or ecological contexts.
この川には鮎の稚魚がたくさんいる。
There are lots of sweetfish fry in this river.
Can also mean small, mixed, or trash fish, often used as bait or considered low-value. The figurative meaning is more common.
釣り餌用の雑魚を買った。
I bought some small fry for bait.