小さな

Japanese
Kanji in this term
小
ちい
Grade: 1
kun’yomi

Etymology

Appears starting from the Muromachi period. Derived as the -na adjective construction of -i adjective 小(ちい)さい (chīsai, “small, little”). See that entry for further details.

Pronunciation
  • (Tokyo) ち​いさな [chíꜜìsànà] (Atamadaka – [1])[1]
  • IPA(key): [t͡ɕiːsa̠na̠]

Adnominal

小(ちい)さな • (chīsana) ←ちひさな (tifisana)?

  1. small, little, tiny (of size or amount)
    小(ちい)さな本(ほん)屋(や)
    chīsana hon'ya
    small bookstore
  2. small, minor (of extent, scale or importance)
    小(ちい)さな被(ひ)害(がい)で済(す)む
    chīsana higai de sumu
    to end up with minor damage
  3. young, little (of age)
    小(ちい)さな時(とき)からの友(ゆう)人(じん)
    chīsana toki kara no yūjin
    friend from childhood

Usage notes

This term may only be used to directly modify a noun. In this grammatical role, it may be used largely interchangeably with 小(ちい)さい (chīsai), the -i adjective form. In predicative use, only 小さい may be used; あれは*小さだ (are wa *chīsa da) is incorrect grammar. Also, there is no adverbial form *小さに (*chīsa ni), only the regular -ku adverbial form 小(ちい)さく (chīsaku) of the -i adjective 小さい.

Antonyms

Derived terms

References
  1. Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
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