Translation guide
Expressing a small number or quantity in Japanese, from a few items to a handful of people.
The speaker wants to say that there are only a few of something, or a small number of people.
The most direct and neutral word for 'small number', used in both spoken and written Japanese. Often used in formal contexts or statistics.
We should also respect the opinions of the small number.
There were only a small number of participants.
Means 'a little' or 'a few'. Very common in everyday conversation. Can be used for both countable and uncountable things.
Specifically means 'a few people' (literally 'several people'). Used when the small number refers to persons.
Emphasizes that the number is very small, often with a nuance of 'only' or 'merely'. Can be used with numbers or nouns.
Casual equivalent of 少し. Very common in informal speech. Can also mean 'a little' in terms of degree.
The speaker wants to specify a small number of specific items using Japanese counter words.
Prefix 数 (すう) before a counter means 'several' or 'a few'. Common counters: 人 (にん) for people, 個 (こ) for small objects, 回 (かい) for times, etc.
I bought a few apples.
I tried a few times.
Means 'some' or 'a few', literally 'what counter + か'. More vague than 数+counter. E.g., 何人か (a few people), 何個か (a few items).
A few people will probably come.
The speaker wants to stress that the number is surprisingly small or insufficient.
Means 'only' or 'just', emphasizing a small number. Often used with counters. Casual.
He came all alone (just one person).
It's only 100 yen.
Means 'only' with a negative verb. Emphasizes that there is nothing more than the small number. E.g., 一人しかいない (there is only one person).
Only a small number remain.
In many contexts, Japanese uses counters or adverbs like 少し instead of the noun 'small number'. For example, 'a small number of books' is more naturally 本が少し or 数冊の本 rather than 少数の本, which sounds stiff.
There are a few books.
少数 is a neutral noun meaning 'small number'. わずか is an adverb/noun that emphasizes the smallness, often translated as 'only' or 'mere'. Use わずか when you want to highlight how tiny the number is.
A small number of students opposed.
Only three students came.
Only a small number of people know the truth.
ごく adds emphasis: 'very small number'
There were a small number of errors.
少しだけ時間があります。
I have only a small amount of time.
Let's start with a small number of people.
A few friends came.
Only a mere three people came.
It's a tiny difference.
ちょっと待って。
Wait a little.
Just for a short while.