わずか

• Reading: わずか
• Romaji: wazuka
• Pronunciation: /wa.zɯ.ka/

Meaning

A little; a few; slight; meagre; tiny. Describes a very small amount or degree.

Functions as a na-adjective, no-adjective, and adverb. As an adverb: わずか三日で (in only three days). As a modifier: わずかな希望 (faint hope). Emphasises how surprisingly small an amount is. Slightly more formal than ちょっと or 少し. Often paired with numbers to stress their smallness.

Examples

1. わずか一年で日本語がとても上手になりました。 In just one year, their Japanese improved tremendously.
2. 試験にわずかな差で不合格になった。 I failed the exam by a slim margin.
3. 財布にはわずかなお金しか残っていない。 There's only a small amount of money left in my wallet.

Usage Guide

Context: emphasis, numbers, comparisons

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Originally written 僅か, from the kanji 僅 (kin, merely/slightly). The kanji combines 亻 (person) with 堇 (a plant), suggesting something as small as a single herb — a tiny amount.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal