Indicates a small degree or amount; often used with adjectives, verbs, or nouns to express a slight difference or change.
See also: わずか
Used when something just meets a threshold or almost fails; often with quantities, limits, or outcomes.
Emphasizes a small number, amount, or extent; often interchangeable with たった or ほんの, but わずかに can sound more formal or measured.
Today is slightly warmer than yesterday.
She gave a faint smile.
I barely made it in time.
It just barely stayed within the budget.
Only three people came.
I bought bread with the little money I had left.
ほんの is a pre-noun adjectival meaning 'mere' or 'just a little', used before nouns (e.g., ほんの少し). わずかに is an adverb and can modify verbs and adjectives directly.
Kanji form using 僅; encountered in formal or literary writing.
Less common kanji form without か; may be seen in older texts.
Rare kanji form using 纔; it is rarely used.
Rare kanji form using 纔 without か; it is rarely used.
Derived from the na-adjective わずか (small amount, few) with the adverbial suffix に. The kanji 僅 and 纔 both carry meanings of 'slight' or 'barely', but the word is now predominantly written in kana.