ちょっぴり

also: ちょぴり

ちょ

っ

ぴ

り

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

adverb, adverb taking the 'to' particle

a little bit; slightly; a wee bit

onomatopoeic or mimetic word colloquial

Colloquial, onomatopoeic adverb expressing a small amount or degree. Often used in casual speech and writing. Can take the particle と.

今日きょうはちょっぴり寒さむいね。
It's a little bit cold today, isn't it?
砂さ糖とうをちょっぴり入いれてください。
Please add just a tiny bit of sugar.

See all 6 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

ちょっぴり〈形けい容よう詞し〉a little bit [adjective] (usu. describing a mild feeling)
一人ひとり暮ぐらしはちょっぴり寂さびしい。
Living alone is a little bit lonely.
ちょっぴり〈動どう詞し〉to slightly [verb], usu. an emotional or physical reaction
彼かれの言こと葉ばにちょっぴり傷きずついた。
His words hurt me a little bit.

Related words

ちょっとN5
ちょっと is the neutral, everyday word for 'a little', while ちょっぴり adds a cuter or more emphatic nuance of a tiny amount.
少すこしN5
少し is the plain, register-neutral word for 'a little' usable in writing, while ちょっぴり is casual and often feels endearing or emphatic.
わずかN3
わずか is a more formal, precise term for a small amount often used with numbers, whereas ちょっぴり is casual and emotionally colored.

Opposites

たっぷりN3
たっぷり means 'plenty' or 'abundantly', the opposite of ちょっぴり's sense of a tiny amount.

Written forms

ちょっぴりUsage96%
Standard kana spelling; no kanji form exists.
チョッピリUsage4%
ちょぴり
Less common variant without the geminate consonant.

Etymology

Derived from ちょっと (chotto, 'a little') with the addition of the emphatic, mimetic element ぴり (piri), giving a cuter or more vivid feel. The exact derivation is uncertain, but it is considered a colloquial, onomatopoeic formation.