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いささか Japanese meaning | Kotomora

いささか

い

さ

さ

か

Common word›JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

adverb, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', na-adjective

a little; somewhat; slightly

usually written using kana alone

Expresses a moderate degree; often used when the speaker feels something is more than expected or worth noting. Slightly formal or literary in tone compared to ちょっと or 少し.

その提てい案あんにはいささか疑ぎ問もんを感かんじる。

I have some doubts about that proposal.

いささか疲つかれたので、少すこし休やすみましょう。

I'm a bit tired, so let's take a short break.

彼かれの説せつ明めいはいささか不ふ十じゅう分ぶんだった。

His explanation was somewhat insufficient.

Usage patterns

いささか〈形けい容よう詞し〉somewhat/a little + adjective
彼かれの説せつ明めいはいささか不ふ十じゅう分ぶんだった。
His explanation was somewhat inadequate.
いささか驚おどろくto be a little surprised
その結けっ果かにはいささか驚おどろいた。
I was somewhat surprised by the result.
いささかも〈動どう詞し〉ないnot even the slightest bit (emphatic negation)
彼かれの態たい度どはいささかも変かわらなかった。
His attitude didn't change in the slightest.

Kanji

些a little bit, sometimes
聊slightly

Related words

少すこしN5
少し is the common, neutral word for 'a little', while いささか is more formal and carries a subjective, literary tone.
ちょっとN5
ちょっと is casual, conversational speech, whereas いささか is bookish and used mainly in writing or formal speech.
ややN3
やや is a neutral, descriptive 'somewhat' often used with measurements or states, while いささか adds a subjective sense of surprise or reservation.
多た少しょうN3
多少 is a plain, businesslike way to say 'to some extent', while いささか leans more literary and often implies the speaker finds the degree notable.

Don't confuse with

些さ細さいN2
些細 is an na-adjective meaning 'trivial,' while 些か is an adverb meaning 'a little' or 'slightly'; learners can confuse them because they share the kanji 些.

Written forms

いささかUsage95%
Usually written in kana; the kanji forms 些か and 聊か are rare and mostly literary.
些いささかUsage4%
Rare kanji spelling; 些 is not a jōyō kanji and this form is seldom used in modern writing.
聊いささかUsage1%
rarely-used kanji form
Very rare kanji spelling; 聊 is not a jōyō kanji and this form is almost never seen.
聊いささか

Etymology

The origin is uncertain. It may be derived from reduplication of an old root related to smallness, but the exact derivation is unclear.

Usage<1%

irregular okuriganararely-used kanji form

Irregular okurigana usage and very rare kanji; included for search coverage only.

些いささか

irregular okurigana

Irregular okurigana usage; included for search coverage only.