JLPT N4 · Japanese kanji
少 — few
- Reading
- ショウ・すく.ない・すこ.し
- Meaning
- few; little
- JLPT level
- N4
- Language
- Japanese
About this kanji
少 is a japanese kanji character commonly studied at the JLPT N4 level. Its primary reading is ショウ・すく.ない・すこ.し and it means few; little. To master it, see it in real Japanese content — import an article or YouTube video into InputDojo and every occurrence becomes a one-tap lookup.
少 appears in everyday japanese words such as 少女 (girl; young girl), 少数 (minority) and 減少 (decrease).
Japanese words containing 少
Frequently asked questions
What does 少 mean in Japanese?
少 means few; little in Japanese. It is one of the JLPT N4 kanji every learner meets at that level.
How is 少 read?
少 is read ショウ・すく.ない・すこ.し. Reading it inside real words — 少女 and 少数 and more — is the fastest way to remember it.
What level is 少 — is it JLPT N4?
Yes. 少 is on the official JLPT N4 kanji list, so it can appear in that exam's reading and vocabulary sections.
How do you use 少 in a word?
A common word containing 少 is 少女 (おとめ) — "girl; young girl". More examples are listed below, each with a one-tap dictionary entry.
How do I learn 少 effectively?
Read it in context. Import any Japanese article or video into InputDojo and every occurrence of 少 becomes a one-tap lookup with SRS flashcards, so you meet it in real sentences instead of a list.
More JLPT N4 kanji
Learn every JLPT kanji in context
InputDojo gives you the full JLPT N5–N1 kanji list — plus one-tap lookups in any real Japanese content. Free to start.
Start free