ちょっとした

ちょっとした
pre-noun adjectival
slight; minor; a bit of; modest
degreegrammatical
1. slight; minor; a bit of; a small but noticeable
Pre-nominal modifier formed from ちょっと + した. Describes something small in scale or significance — a brief errand, a small gift, a passing remark. Often softens or downplays.
ちょっとしたプレゼントです。
It's a little gift.
ちょっとした用事(ようじ)で出(で)かけます。
I'm going out to run a quick errand.
ちょっとしたきっかけで、二人(ふたり)は親友(しんゆう)になった。
From a small chance occurrence, the two became close friends.
2. considerable; not trivial; quite a (ironic)
Used ironically or as understatement to mean the opposite — a 'little' that is actually substantial. Common with sums of money, scale, or fame.
ちょっとした有名人(ゆうめいじん)だ。
He's quite the celebrity (in his own way).
修理(しゅうり)にちょっとした金額(きんがく)がかかった。
The repairs cost a tidy sum.
あの店(みせ)は、知(し)る人(ひと)ぞ知(し)るちょっとした名店(めいてん)として知(し)られている。
That shop is known among those in the know as quite a celebrated establishment.

Fixed adnominal expression (連体詞(れんたいし)) — only modifies a following noun and does not conjugate. Cannot stand as a predicate; cannot take particles like other adjectives.

TWO READINGS, ONE FORM:
The same form has both a literal sense ('a small/minor X') and an ironic understatement sense ('quite a notable X'). Tone, context, and the noun decide which is meant.

Common collocations

Similar words

Related Words

Compare: 些細(ささい) (trivial)
general
Added 2026.5.12 12:04 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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