薄(うす)い

うすい
i-adjective
thin, light, weak
sizecolor
Conjugation
AffirmativeNegative
Present薄(うす)い薄(うす)くない
Past薄(うす)かった薄(うす)くなかった
て form薄(うす)くて薄(うす)くなくて
Adverbial薄(うす)く—
Conditional ば薄(うす)ければ薄(うす)くなければ
Conditional たら薄(うす)かったら薄(うす)くなかったら
1. thin (not thick)
Describes something with little thickness. The opposite of 厚(あつ)い (thick). Used for paper, slices, walls, etc.
薄(うす)い紙(かみ)を使(つか)ってください。
Please use thin paper.
この壁(かべ)は薄(うす)いですね。
This wall is thin, isn't it?
薄(うす)い服(ふく)を着(き)ています。
I'm wearing thin clothes.
この本(ほん)は薄(うす)いから、すぐに読(よ)み終(お)わると思(おも)う。
This book is thin, so I think I'll finish reading it soon.
薄(うす)いパンをもう一(いち)枚(まい)ください。サンドイッチを作(つく)りたいです。
Please give me another slice of thin bread. I want to make a sandwich.
2. light, pale (color)
Describes colors that are not vivid or intense. The opposite of 濃(こ)い (dark, deep).
薄(うす)い色(いろ)が好(す)きです。
I like light colors.
薄(うす)いピンクの花(はな)がきれいです。
The pale pink flowers are beautiful.
この絵(え)は薄(うす)い緑(みどり)で描(えが)かれています。
This picture is painted in light green.
夏(なつ)は薄(うす)い色(いろ)の服(ふく)を着(き)ることが多(おお)いです。
In summer, I often wear light-colored clothes.
空(そら)が薄(うす)い青(あお)で、とてもきれいな朝(あさ)でした。散歩(さんぽ)に行(い)きました。
The sky was light blue, and it was a very beautiful morning. I went for a walk.
3. weak, diluted (taste/concentration)
Describes flavors or liquids that lack strength or intensity.
このコーヒーは薄(うす)いですね。
This coffee is weak, isn't it?
味(あじ)が薄(うす)いです。
The taste is weak.
薄(うす)い味(あじ)のスープを作(つく)りました。
I made a mild-tasting soup.
味(あじ)が薄(うす)いから、もう少(すこ)し塩(しお)を入(い)れてください。
The taste is weak, so please add a little more salt.
このお茶(ちゃ)は少(すこ)し薄(うす)いけれど、体(からだ)にいいと思(おも)います。毎日(まいにち)飲(の)んでいます。
This tea is a bit weak, but I think it's good for my health. I drink it every day.

薄(うす)い is an i-adjective with multiple meanings, all involving lack of intensity or thickness.

Forms

  • Adverbial: 薄(うす)く
  • Noun form: 薄(うす)さ (thinness)

Meanings by context

1. Physical thickness: 薄(うす)い紙(かみ) (thin paper), 薄(うす)い壁(かべ) (thin wall)
2. Color intensity: 薄(うす)い色(いろ) (light/pale color)
3. Taste/concentration: 薄(うす)い味(あじ) (weak flavor), 薄(うす)いコーヒー (weak coffee)

Similar words

VS. 細(ほそ)い: both translate as "thin," but they describe different dimensions. 薄(うす)い is about thickness — how little depth something has from front to back (paper, a slice, a wall). 細(ほそ)い is about width — how narrow something long is (a rope, a road, an arm). A slice of bread is 薄(うす)い; a strand of noodle is 細(ほそ)い.

Common expressions

Related Words

Antonym: 厚(あつ)い (thick)
Antonym: 濃(こ)い (dark, strong)
Compare: 細(ほそ)い (thin in the sense of narrow/slender)
Related: 薄(うす)める (to dilute, to thin (transitive verb))
Related: 薄(うす)着(ぎ) (dressing lightly)
Synonym: 淡(あわ)い (pale, faint (colors; more literary))
Compare: 白(しろ)い (white)
Compare: 微(かす)かな (faint, slight)
Compare: 薄(うす)め (slightly thin)
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Added 2026.1.7 21:49 · Revised 2026.9.4 21:29
00500/00764_usui