adverb
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
今日は昨日よりわずかに暖かい。
Today is slightly warmer than yesterday.
わずかに笑みを浮かべた。
She gave a faint smile.
adverb
Used when something just meets a threshold or almost fails; often with quantities, limits, or outcomes.
わずかに間に合った。
I barely made it in time.
わずかに予算内に収まった。
It just barely stayed within the budget.
adverb
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.
わずかに3人しか来なかった。
Only three people came.
わずかに残ったお金でパンを買った。
I bought bread with the little money I had left.
わずか is a na-adjective/noun meaning 'a small amount' or 'only', while わずかに is its adverbial form. わずかに is used to modify verbs, adjectives, or whole clauses, whereas わずか can directly precede nouns (e.g., わずかなお金).
少し is a more common and casual word for 'a little' or 'slightly'. わずかに is more formal and often implies a smaller or more precise degree, and is preferred in written or measured contexts.
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.
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.