小こ島じま

also: しょうとう · おじま

こ

じ

ま

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

noun

small island; islet

Refers to a small island, typically smaller than a 島 (island) but larger than a mere rock or reef. Common in geographical descriptions and place names.

湖みずうみの真まん中なかに小ちいさな小こ島じまが浮うかんでいる。
A small islet floats in the middle of the lake.
その小こ島じまには珍めずらしい鳥とりが生せい息そくしている。
Rare birds inhabit that small island.

Written forms

小島Usage100%
- こじま
  Standard kanji spelling with the most common reading こじま.
- しょうとう
  Sino-Japanese reading; less common and may appear in formal or literary contexts.
- おじま
  Alternate native reading; rare and possibly dialectal or restricted to place names.
おじま
しょうとう

Kanji

小little, small
島island

Similar words

島しま
島 is a general term for 'island' of any size, while 小島 specifically emphasizes smallness.
岩がん礁しょう
岩礁 refers to a reef or rocky outcrop, often smaller and less habitable than a 小島.

Etymology

Compound of 小 (small) and 島 (island). The reading こじま is the most common native Japanese reading; しょうとう is the Sino-Japanese reading; おじま is a less common native variant.