Common word› JLPT N5 › Freq. Frequency Top 1,000 Conjugation 少ない · i-adjective
Form Positive Negative Dictionary 少すく ない 少すく なくない Polite 少すく ないです 少すく なくないです also 少すく なくありません Past polite 少すく なかったです 少すく なくなかったです also 少すく なくありませんでした Past 少すく なかった 少すく なくなかった Te-form 少すく なくて 少すく なくなくて Adverbial 少すく なく Conditional 少すく なければ 少すく なくなければ Tara conditional 少すく なかったら 少すく なくなかったら
Usage patterns 〈 数かず 〉 が 少すく ない the number/amount of ~ is small
There are few children in this town.
〈 時とき 〉 が 少すく ない to have little time (for something)
There's little time to prepare.
少すく ないながら 〜 although (it is) small in amount, ~
Though it isn't much, I'm grateful to everyone.
Related words· 6 乏しい is a more literary word stressing a serious lack or shortage, while 少ない simply states a small quantity.
僅か emphasizes how slight or minimal an amount is, whereas 少ない just describes a number as being small.
少ない simply means 'few' or 'little', while 数少ない adds emphasis that the small quantity is notable, often implying rarity or preciousness.
少ない is the plain adjective meaning 'few/little', whereas 少なめ softens it to mean 'a bit on the low side', often used when adjusting amounts.
Show 2 more Show fewer 少ない is an i-adjective describing a state of scarcity, while 少数 is a noun/adverb naming the concept of a small quantity itself.
少ない simply means 'few' or 'little' in number or amount, while まばら emphasizes uneven distribution or gaps rather than just small quantity.
Opposites· 6 多い means 'many/much', the direct opposite of 少ない which means 'few/little'.
少ない means 'few, little', the direct opposite of 夥しい 's sense of an overwhelming, excessive quantity.
少ない means 'few, little in number', the direct opposite of あまた 's 'many, numerous'.
Show 3 more Show fewer 多し means 'many, numerous' while 少ない (the modern word) means 'few, little', expressing the opposite quantity.
少ない means 'few/little', the direct opposite in quantity to 多く 's 'many/much'.
少ない means 'few/little', the direct opposite of 沢山 's meaning of a large quantity.
Don't confuse with 少し is an adverb meaning 'a little' and modifies verbs/adjectives, while 少ない is an i-adjective describing that a quantity itself is small.
少ない means 'few/little in quantity or number', while 小さい means 'small in size or degree'; learners often confuse the two because both translate as 'little'.
Word family· 11 at least
few in number; scarce; limited
somewhat less; slightly below; on the low side
having little left; running short; scant
considerably; not a little; in no small numbers
Show 6 more Show fewer at least
running short; running low; having few remaining
laconic; of few words; reticent
considerable; not a little; not a few
too few; too little; insufficient
helpless; with no one to rely on
Written forms 少すく ない Usage 95%
Standard kanji spelling; the most frequent and recommended form.
すくない Usage 3%
少すくな い Usage 2%
search-only kanji form
Search-only variant; not a standard spelling.
尠すくな い Usage <1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; learners should recognize but not produce it.
尠すく ない Usage <1%
search-only kanji form
Search-only variant; not a standard spelling.
寡すくな い Usage <1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; learners should recognize but not produce it.
Etymology Derived from classical Japanese adjective すくなし (sukunashi), which already carried the meaning 'few, little'. The modern form 少ない (sukunai) is the regular development of the ク -adjective conjugation.
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