浅い

• Reading: あさい
• Romaji: asai
• Kanji breakdown: 浅 (sen/asa) — shallow, superficial
• Pronunciation: /a.sa.i/

Meaning

Shallow; not deep. Also used figuratively to mean superficial or limited in experience.

An i-adjective and the opposite of 深い (fukai, deep). Used literally for water, pools, or containers, and figuratively for experience (経験が浅い, limited experience), knowledge, or sleep (眠りが浅い, light sleep). A very useful descriptive word at the N4 level.

Examples

1. このプールは浅いから子供でも安全です。 This pool is shallow, so it's safe even for kids.
2. まだ経験が浅いので先輩に教えてもらっています。 I still have limited experience, so I'm learning from my seniors.
3. 昨日は眠りが浅くてあまり休めなかった。 I slept lightly last night and didn't get much rest.

Usage Guide

Context: nature, experience, description

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 浅 combines 氵 (water radical) with 戋 (small/slight). Depicts water that is only slight in depth — the core meaning of shallow.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal