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小狡い (こずるい) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
i-adjective
slightly shrewd ; a little crafty ; sly in a petty way
Describes someone who is cunning or calculating in small, often petty matters. The prefix 小 (こ) softens ずるい (crafty), implying a minor or somewhat endearing slyness rather than serious deceit.
小こ
狡ずる
い
ところ
が
ある
けど
、
憎にく
め
ない
。
That kid has a sly side, but you can't really hate him for it.
Written forms 小こ 狡ずる い
こずるい Usage 100%
小こ ずるい
Mixed kana-kanji spelling, common in casual writing.
小こ ズルい
Katakana variant of the second character, used for emphasis or stylistic effect.
Similar words ずるい ずるい means 'crafty' or 'unfair' in a general sense, while 小狡い adds the nuance of being petty or small-scale, often less serious.
狡こう 猾かつ 狡猾 is a more formal and stronger term for 'cunning' or 'wily', often used for serious deception, whereas 小狡い is casual and implies minor slyness.
Etymology Compound of the prefix 小 (こ, 'small, petty') and the adjective ずるい ('crafty, sly'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination naturally yields the meaning 'slightly crafty'.
