ちび
Meanings
small child; pipsqueak; small fry
Often affectionate or teasing when referring to a child; can be derogatory if used toward adults. Also used for chibi-style characters in anime/manga with oversized heads.
Our little one is still three years old.
The chibi characters in that anime are cute.
Sensitive term when referring to a person's height; can be insulting. Use with caution.
He's the shortest in the class.
small animal; runt
Typically for the smallest or weakest animal in a litter; can be used affectionately.
This kitten is the runt and smaller than its siblings.
worn down; stubby
Prefix use, mainly in compounds like ちび鉛筆 (stubby pencil) or ちびた (worn down).
It's hard to write with a worn-down pencil.
Usage patterns
- 〈人〉をちびと呼ぶto call someone 'shorty'/'squirt'
The kids in class used to call him 'shorty'.
- ちび〈物〉a worn-down/stubby version of a thing
He always uses a stubby little pencil.