Japanese

Adjective

小さい ‎(-i inflection, hiragana ちいさい, romaji chīsai, historical hiragana ちひさい)

1. (of size or amount) small, little, tiny
   • 1906, Natsume Sōseki, Botchan, text here:

     教師 (きょうし)は二人 (ふたり)だ。大 (おお)きい奴 (やつ)と、小 (ちい)さい奴 (やつ)だ。

     Kyōshi wa futari da. Ōkii yatsu to, chīsai yatsu da.

     There were two teachers. A big one, and a little one.

2. (of age) young, little

Usage notes

As an adjective directly modifying a noun, may be used largely interchangeably with 小さな ‎(chīsana), the -na adjective form. In predicative use, only 小さい (chīsai) may be used: あれは*小さだ (are wa *chīsa da) is incorrect grammar.

Inflection

Antonyms

• 大 (おお)きい ‎(ōkii)

Derived terms

• ちっちゃい ‎(chitchai)

References

1. ↑ 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan
2. ↑ 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, ISBN 4-385-13905-9
3. ↑ 1998, NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 (NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: NHK, ISBN 978-4-14-011112-3