1.
too small; insufficient; underestimated
Smaller or less than what is appropriate or accurate. The opposite of excessive — something that falls short of the proper amount or assessment.
過小評価してはいけない。
You must not underestimate it.
被害を過小に見積もった。
The damage was underestimated.
彼の能力を過小評価すると痛い目に遭うだろう。
If you underestimate his ability, you'll pay for it.
The antonym of 過大な (excessive, overestimated). Most commonly encountered in the compound 過小評価 (underestimation), which is extremely frequent in both written and spoken Japanese.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 過小評価: underestimation / undervaluation
- 過小評価する: to underestimate
- 過小に見積もる: to underestimate (a quantity)
- 過小申告: underreporting (e.g., income on tax returns)
- 過小資本: undercapitalization
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 過大な: excessive / overestimated — the direct antonym
- 不十分な: insufficient / inadequate — focuses on not meeting a required standard
- 少なすぎる: too few / too little — everyday expression for insufficient quantity
REGISTER:
Formal. Common in news, business, and analytical writing. In everyday speech, 少なすぎる or 足りない are more natural.