Translation of Japanese word "少ない" to English
少ない
すくない
[sukunai]
IPA: /sukunai/
Meaning
determinerAn indefinite, but usually small, number of.
How to use
少ない (sukunai) — 'few / little / not many'. 時間が少ない — little time. Use 少しの before nouns. Japanese adjectives inflect directly for tense and negation, functioning similarly to verbs in some ways.
🇬🇧 English
few / little
Pronunciation Guide
Japanese Kanji: 少ない
Phonetic Reading (Hiragana): すくない
Romaji Transcription: sukunai
Example Sentences
安量にはいのです。
安量にはいのです。
It is few.
安量にはいのです。
安量にはいのです。
It is little.
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Common phrases
- 時間が少ない— little time / not much time
Frequency rank: #182 in Japanese
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Japanese word "少ない" mean?▼
The Japanese word "少ない" means "few / little" in English.
How do you pronounce the Japanese word "少ない"?▼
The word "少ない" is read as "すくない" (sukunai). You can hear the correct audio pronunciation by clicking the play button next to the word at the top of this page.
Can I see a usage guide or example with "少ない"?▼
Yes, here is a practical context/example: "安量にはいのです。".
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