ちっちゃい
ちっちゃい
i-adjective
small; tiny; little
1.
small; tiny; little
Describing something of small size. A casual/cute alternative to 小さい.
ちっちゃい手だね。
You have tiny hands.
ちっちゃい頃の写真がある。
I have photos from when I was little.
この虫ちっちゃくて可愛い。
This bug is tiny and cute.
ちっちゃい is a casual/cute contraction of 小さい. The gemination (っ) adds emphasis and a childlike or affectionate nuance.
REGISTER:
This is casual/colloquial language with a slightly cute nuance. Use 小さい in polite or formal contexts.
CONJUGATION:
As an i-adjective: ちっちゃくない (negative), ちっちゃかった (past), ちっちゃく (adverb form).
VARIATION:
ちっこい is another casual variant with similar meaning.
COMMON EXPRESSIONS:
- ちっちゃい頃: when (I/you/they) was little
- ちっちゃい子: a little child
Related Words
Related:
小さい (polite equivalent)