The meaning of sukoshi (少し) and how to use it

This article will give you all of the knowledge you need on the Japanese word sukoshi, including its Japanese definition and translation, example sentences, related expressions and more!

What does sukoshi mean?

Sukoshi (少し、すこし) means a little or a little bit in Japanese. This word refers to a small quantity of something. You can also use sukoshi when talking about a short amount of time, like when saying for a while.

Not to be confused with chotto (ちょっと), sukoshi is a common word that you will hear often in Japanese. Let’s look at how to use it and some other expressions that include it.

Sukoshi meaning 1: A little

In Japanese, the word "sukoshi" means a little or a little bit.

To make it easier for you, I have written each sentence in full Japanese kanji in the first line, followed by roman letters (romaji), and hiragana, with the English meaning coming last.

テーマパークは楽しいけど、少し高い。
Teima paaku wa tanoshii kedo, sukoshi takai.
てーまぱーくはたのしいけど、すこしたかい。
Theme parks are fun, but a little bit expensive.

私は日本語が少し分かります。
Watashi wa nihongo ga sukoshi wakarimasu.
わたしはにほんごがすこしわかります。
I understand a little Japanese.

今日は少し涼しいね。
Kyou wa sukoshi suzushii ne.
きょうはすこしすずしいね。
It (the weather) is a little bit cool today.

そのお店に行ってみたいけど、少し遠い。
Sono omise ni itte mitai kedo, sukoshi tooi.
そのおみせにいってみたいけど、すこしとおい。
I would like to go to that shop, but it’s a little far.

In Japanese, the word "sukoshi" means a little or a little bit.

Sukoshi meaning 2: A while

少し休憩したいです。
Sukoshi kyuukei shitai desu.
すこしきゅうけいしたいです。
I want to take a break for a while.

少し歩くと、目が覚めるよ。
Sukoshi aruku to, me ga sameru yo.
すこしあるくと、めがさめるよ。
You’ll wake up once you walk for a while.

二次会? 少しぐらいならいいですよ。
Nijikai? Sukoshi gurai nara ii desu yo.
にじかい? すこしぐらいならいいですよ。
(You’re going to drink at) A second place? It’s OK if it’s just for a short while.

As we will see below, sukoshi also forms some useful phrases that you will hear a lot in Japanese.

Mou sukoshi = a little more

Mou sukoshi (もう少し、もうすこし) means a little more or a bit more. People commonly use this expression when saying that something will take a little more time.

もう少し時間がかかる。
Mou sukoshi jikan ga kakaru.
もうすこしじかんがかかる。
It will take a little more time.

家はもう少し真っ直ぐです。
Ie wa mou sukoshi massugu desu.
いえはもうすこしまっすぐです。
Go straight a bit further to get to my house.

もう少しお父さんのことを知りたかったです。
Mou sukoshi otousan no koto wo shiritakatta desu.
もうすこしおとうさんのことをしりたかったです。
I wish I’d known your father a little better (lit: a little more).

Note that mou sukoshi is often used together with ato (後、あと), which means later.

あともう少しでご飯を食べようか?
Ato mou sukoshi gohan wo tabeyou ka?
あともう少しでご飯をたべようか?
Shall we eat dinner a little bit later?

Sukoshi zutsu means little by little or gradually.

Sukoshi zutsu: Little by little

Sukoshi zutsu (少しずつ、すこしずつ) is a useful Japanese expression that means little by little or gradually. You can use it when talking about incremental progress or gradual change.

少しずつ元気が戻ってきている。
Sukoshi zutsu genki ga modotte kiteiru.
すこしずつげんきがもどってきている。
Little by little, I’m feeling better.

最近、彼女は料理が少しずつ上手になってきた。
Saikin, kanojo wa ryouri ga sukoshi zutsu umaku natte kita.
さいきん、かのじょはりょうりがすこしずつじょうずになってきた。
She has gradually been getting better at cooking lately.

日常的に英語を勉強すれば、少しずつ覚えるはず。
Nichijoteki ni eigo wo benkyou sureba, sukoshi zutsu oboeru hazu.
にちじょうてきにえいごをべんきょうすれば、すこしずつおぼえるはず。
If you study English regularly, you should be able to gradually learn it (lit: remember it).

Sukoshi benkyo ni natta kana?

I hope this was a least a little bit instructive? I tried to cover the most common uses of sukoshi here, but there are many more. With long-term exposure to the language, you will naturally pick up on these nuances. Feel free to reach out anytime via the contact form if you have any questions or comments!

Rohan