少: the kanji for few and little
少 is a JLPT N4 kanji that means few, little. Below are its readings, 10 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
少 is written in 4 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
少 has 3 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 10 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ショウ (shou)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 少年しょうねん · shōnen | boy |
| 少女しょうじょ · shōjo | girl |
| 減少げんしょう · genshō | decrease |
| 多少たしょう · tashō | somewhat |
| 少子化しょうしか · shōshika | declining birthrate |
| 少々しょうしょう · shōshō | a little; just a moment |
| 最少さいしょう · saishō | fewest |
すくない (sukunai)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 少ないすくない · sukunai | few; little |
| 少なめすくなめ · sukuname | a little less |
すこし (sukoshi)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 少しすこし · sukoshi | a little |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 少々お待ちください。Shōshō o-machi kudasai.Just a moment, please.
- もう少しゆっくり話してください。Mō sukoshi yukkuri hanashite kudasai.Please speak a little more slowly.
- 今日はお客様が少ないです。Kyō wa okyakusama ga sukunai desu.We don't have many customers today.
- 売上が少し減少しました。Uriage ga sukoshi genshō shimashita.Sales decreased slightly.
- 日本では少子化が進んでいます。Nihon de wa shōshika ga susunde imasu.Japan's birthrate continues to decline.
- ご飯を少なめにしてください。Gohan o sukuname ni shite kudasai.A little less rice, please.
Questions about 少
How many strokes does 少 have?
少 is written in 4 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 少?
The on readings are shou (ショウ). The kun readings are sukunai (すくない), sukoshi (すこし).
What does 少々お待ちください mean?
少々お待ちください (shōshō o-machi kudasai) means "Just a moment, please." It is the standard polite phrase on the phone and in stores. The casual version is ちょっと待って (chotto matte).
What JLPT level is 少?
N4. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.
About the JLPT level
The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N4 is designed to match the former Level 3.
More JLPT N4 kanji
Colors and descriptions
Executive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.
Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 少
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.