多た少しょう

た

しょ

う

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

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

Used adverbially before verbs and adjectives, or as 多少の before a noun, to mean that something exists or applies to a limited but noticeable degree.

今日きょうは多た少しょう疲つかれている。
I'm somewhat tired today.
計けい画かくには多た少しょうの変へん更こうが必ひつ要ようです。
The plan needs some changes.

noun

amount; quantity; number

Noun use referring to how much or how many there is; often appears in patterns such as Xの多少 or 多少にかかわらず.

参さん加か者しゃの多た少しょうにかかわらず、会かい議ぎは予よ定ていどおり行おこないます。
Regardless of the number of participants, the meeting will be held as scheduled.

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Usage patterns

多た少しょうの〈事こと〉があるthere is some (difference, doubt, etc.)
二人ふたりの意い見けんには多た少しょうの違ちがいがある。
There is some difference between their two opinions.
多た少しょう〈形けい容よう詞し〉somewhat (adjective)
このアパートは多た少しょう狭せまいが、駅えきから近ちかい。
This apartment is a bit small, but it's close to the station.
〈物もの・事こと〉の多た少しょうを問とわずregardless of the amount of ~
金きん額がくの多た少しょうを問とわず、寄き付ふを歓かん迎げいします。
We welcome donations regardless of the amount.

Expressions

多た少しょうなりともto some extent; even if only a little; in any way

Kanji

多many, frequent, much
少few, little

Related words· 12

少すこしN5sense 1
少し is the everyday, casual word for 'a little,' while 多少 is slightly more formal and often implies 'to some extent.'
ややN3sense 1
やや modifies only degree ('somewhat'), whereas 多少 can also be used as 多少の before a noun and as a noun meaning amount.
いくらかN2sense 1
いくらか and 多少 both mean 'a little' or 'some,' but いくらか sounds slightly more colloquial and is often used with quantities.
少しょう々しょうN4sense 1
少々 is a polite, slightly stiffer way to say 'a little,' often used in service or formal speech, while 多少 is more neutral.

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多た寡か sense 2
多寡 is a formal, written word specifically for 'largeness or smallness of amount,' while 多少 more commonly serves as an adverb meaning 'somewhat.'
多おおかれ少すくなかれN1
多少 is a common, concise adverb meaning 'somewhat' or 'a little', while 多かれ少なかれ is a more formal, literary phrase emphasizing the range from much to little.
ある程てい度ど
多少 is more formal and typical of written Japanese, while ある程度 is the everyday, conversational way to say 'to some extent'.
幾いく分ぶんN2
多少 can suggest a slightly larger or more definite amount than 幾分, which sounds softer and more tentative.
若じゃっ干かんN2
多少 can suggest a slightly larger or vaguer amount than 若干, which sounds more precise and limited.
何なに分ぶんN2
多少 is the common modern word for 'somewhat/a little', while 何分 (as in 何分か) is stiffer and less used in casual speech.
ややN2
多少 emphasizes 'to some extent, however small' and is common in formal or written contexts, similar in register to やや.
いささかN1
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

大だい小しょうN2
大小 (big and small) and 多少 (a little; more or less) look similar as opposite-character compounds but have unrelated meanings.

Etymology

A Sino-Japanese compound of 多, 'many, much,' and 少, 'few, little.' The literal contrast of 'many and few' underlies the noun sense 'amount or quantity,' and the adverbial sense developed as 'to some degree.'