ちっぽけ

ちっぽけ
na-adjective
tiny
1. tiny
tiny; puny; trivial; insignificant
ちっぽけな(しま)()んでいる。
I live on a tiny island.
宇宙(うちゅう)から()れば地球(ちきゅう)もちっぽけだ。
Seen from space, even Earth is tiny.
そんなちっぽけなことで(なや)まないで。
Don't worry about such a trivial matter.

ちっぽけ is a na-adjective expressing smallness with a slightly diminutive or dismissive nuance.

FORMS:

  • Attributive: ちっぽけな + noun
  • Predicate: ちっぽけだ
  • Adverbial: ちっぽけに

USAGE:
Can describe physical smallness but often has a figurative sense of insignificance or triviality. Frequently used when comparing something to a larger context.

REGISTER: Colloquial/informal. Has an expressive, slightly emotional tone.

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • ちっぽけ: tiny with dismissive/insignificant nuance
  • (ちい)さい: small (neutral)
  • 微小(びしょう): minute, microscopic (formal/scientific)
  • ちっちゃい: tiny (childish/cute)