ほんの
ほんの
adverb
just; only; mere; slight
1.
just; only; mere; slight; a tiny bit of
Emphasizes that something is very small in amount, degree, or significance. Always precedes a noun or quantity expression.
ほんの少しだけ。
Just a tiny bit.
ほんの気持ちですが、受け取ってください。
It's just a small token, but please accept it.
駅からほんの五分で着きます。
It's just five minutes from the station.
A pre-noun adverb that always modifies what follows. It emphasizes smallness — of quantity, time, distance, or significance. Cannot be used at the end of a sentence or as a standalone adverb. Very commonly used in polite expressions when giving gifts (ほんの気持ちです 'it's just a small gesture') and when minimizing something (ほんの冗談 'just a joke').
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- ほんの少し: just a little
- ほんの一部: just a part
- ほんの気持ち: just a small gesture/token
- ほんの冗談: just a joke
- ほんの数分: just a few minutes
SIMILAR WORDS:
- たった: only, just — emphasizes surprisingly small amount; can modify numbers and nouns
- わずか: merely, only — slightly more formal, often used with quantities
- ちょっと: a little, slightly — more colloquial and versatile; can also mean 'somewhat'