1.
rather small; on the small side; smallish
Slightly smaller than average or expected, without being extremely small.
小さめのサイズをください。
Please give me the smaller size.
このシャツは小さめに作られている。
This shirt is made on the small side.
荷物が多いので、小さめのバッグでは入りきらないかもしれない。
Since I have a lot of luggage, a smallish bag might not fit everything.
Formed by adding the suffix ～め to the adjective stem 小さ. The ～め suffix indicates "somewhat" or "leaning toward" a quality, softening the adjective. This is a productive pattern in Japanese that works with many adjectives.
USAGE:
- Modifies nouns with の: 小さめの + noun
- Can also be used adverbially with に: 小さめに切る (to cut somewhat small)
- Very common in shopping, cooking, and describing physical dimensions
- The ～め pattern works with other adjectives too: 大きめ (on the large side), 長め (on the long side), 早め (on the early side)
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 小さめのサイズ: a smaller size
- 小さめに切る: to cut rather small
- 小さめの部屋: a smallish room
- 少し小さめ: a little on the small side
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 小さい: small — the base adjective; states the size directly without hedging
- やや小さい: slightly small — similar meaning expressed with an adverb
- 大きめ: on the large side — the opposite pattern using 大きい
- コンパクトな: compact — loanword; implies small but well-designed