少々

• 読み: しょうしょう
• ローマ字: shoushou
• 漢字の分解: 少 (shou) — few, little (repeated for emphasis)
• 発音: /ɕoː.ɕoː/

意味

A little; a small amount; a moment. The formal equivalent of 少し.

An adverb formed by repeating the kanji 少 for emphasis. More polite and restrained than 少し (sukoshi) or ちょっと (chotto). Extremely common in customer service and business Japanese, especially in the phrase 少々お待ちください (please wait a moment).

例文

1. 少々お待ちください。
2. 少々お時間をいただけますか。
3. 少々味が薄いので、塩を足してください。

使い方ガイド

場面: customer service, business, polite requests

トーン: polite

起源と歴史

Formed by reduplication of 少 (shou, few/little), a common Chinese-origin pattern where repeating a character softens or slightly intensifies the meaning. The kanji 少 depicts a small amount being divided.

文化的背景

時代: Classical

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal