小

Derived characters

 * Appendix:Chinese radical/小

Glyph origin
Two possible interpretations:
 * – three small dots > small.
 * – three granules of sand – original character of > small.

Starting from some bronze inscriptions, the dots have become elongated. Based on this form,  erroneously considers it to be an.

Compare with, represented by four dots in its oracle bone script form.

Etymology 1
Often thought to be related to (e.g. ), but  points out that the alternation between   and  within a word family is exceptional.

Definitions

 * 1) small, tiny, little
 * 2) minor, petty
 * 3) briefly, for a short while
 * 4) slightly, a little
 * 5) young
 * 6) (the) youngest
 * 7) a young person; child, kid, baby
 * 8)  my, our
 * 9)  concubine
 * 1) (the) youngest
 * 2) a young person; child, kid, baby
 * 3)  my, our
 * 4)  concubine
 * 1) (the) youngest
 * 2) a young person; child, kid, baby
 * 3)  my, our
 * 4)  concubine
 * 1)  my, our
 * 2)  concubine
 * 1)  my, our
 * 2)  concubine
 * 1)  concubine
 * 1)  concubine
 * 1)  concubine
 * 1)  concubine
 * 1)  concubine
 * 1)  concubine
 * 1)  concubine
 * 1)  concubine
 * 1)  concubine

Etymology 1
→ →

From.

The suffix sense is a clipping of.

Noun

 * 1) smallness; small size, small (sometimes used as an abbreviation for small serving, etc.)
 * 2)  during the  and, a unit of field area equal to around 400 square metres
 * 100 square footsteps before the Taikō land survey, and 120 square footsteps after
 * 100 square footsteps before the Taikō land survey, and 120 square footsteps after

Prefix

 * 1) small, little

Suffix

 * 1) suffix after names of elementary schools

Etymology 2
→

From the stem. Cognate with.

Prefix

 * 1) less in size or quantity, small, little, short
 * 2) less in intensity, small, light, slight
 * 3) of secondary importance, secondary, sub-
 * 4) infant

Etymology 3
→

From the stem, modern.

Prefix

 * 1) attached to certain nouns:
 * 2) small in shape or scale
 * 3) attached to certain names to give expression or feelings
 * 4) used proverbially to represent "small" or "slight"
 * 1) attached to certain names to give expression or feelings
 * 2) used proverbially to represent "small" or "slight"
 * 1) used proverbially to represent "small" or "slight"
 * 1) used proverbially to represent "small" or "slight"

Etymology 4
From the stem, found in terms such as , , and , all related to small or slight.

Saza appears to be a later derivation from sasa.

Prefix

 * 1) attached to certain nouns to mean:
 * 2) small
 * 3) fine
 * 4) slight

Etymology
From.