小 Kanji: Meaning, Readings and Stroke Order

小: small; little; minor. JLPT N5; 3 strokes.

Readings

On readings

ショウ

Kun readings

ちい.さい、こ-、お-、さ-

Romaji

shou, chiisai, ko, o, sa

Study notes

小 means 'small'; as a prefix it makes the indicated thing small or light.

On readings: ショウ in 小学校 (しょうがっこう, elementary school), 小説 (しょうせつ, novel), 大小 (だいしょう, big and small), 最小 (さいしょう, minimum), 小児 (しょうに, small child, in medical context).

Kun readings: ちいさい (小さい, small) is the adjective; 小さな (ちいさな) has the same meaning but is only used before a noun. こ as a prefix: 小犬 (こいぬ, puppy), 小鳥 (ことり, little bird), 小包 (こづつみ, package), 小声 (こごえ, low voice), 小銭 (こぜに, coins), 小雨 (こさめ, drizzle). お in 小川 (おがわ, creek). さ in a few words, as 小夜 (さよ, evening, in poetry).

Special readings: 小豆 (あずき, azuki beans) is read as a whole word.

Remember: the opposite is 大きい (おおきい, big); the pair 大小 (だいしょう) means 'big and small, of every size'.

Example words

• 小学校 (しょうがっこう) — elementary school
• 小さい (ちいさい) — small
• 小道 (こみち) — path; lane

Example sentences

小さい鳥がいます。

chiisai tori ga imasu.

There is a small bird.

Stroke order

Follow the steps in order. Each new stroke is highlighted.

Stroke paths: KanjiVG, CC BY-SA 3.0. Sequential diagrams derived from the original paths.