noun
little person (folklore/fantasy); fairy; elf; gnome; dwarf
Refers to mythical or fantasy small humanoids, such as fairies, elves, gnomes, and dwarfs. Common in stories and games.
森の中に小人が住んでいるという言い伝えがある。
There is a legend that little people live in the forest.
そのファンタジー小説には、勇敢
In that fantasy novel, a brave dwarf warrior appears.
noun
little person (dwarfism); dwarf; midget
Refers to a person with dwarfism. Note that 小人 (こびと) can be considered insensitive in modern usage; more respectful terms like 低身長者 (ていしんちょうしゃ) or 小人症の人 (こびとしょうのひと) are often preferred. The term 小人 (こびと) itself is still used in some contexts, but caution is advised.
彼は小人症で、身長が低いが、とても活動的だ。
He has dwarfism and is short in stature, but he is very active.
小人の役者として舞台に立つ。
He performs on stage as a little person actor.
ドワーフ is a loanword for 'dwarf' in fantasy contexts, often used in games and Western fantasy. 小人 (こびと) is the native Japanese term.
The reading こびと is a compound of 小 (こ, 'small') and 人 (ひと, 'person'), with rendaku voicing the second element to びと. The kanji spelling 小人 is shared with other readings (しょうにん, こども), but the meaning 'little person' is specific to こびと.