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少

少 — few, little

Learn the correct stroke order for 少 (few), a 4-stroke kanji.

JLPT N4Grade 24 strokes

Stroke Order

1234
Stroke 0 / 4
On'yomi (音読み)ショウshou
Kun'yomi (訓読み)すく.ないsukunai、すこ.しsukoshi
Strokes4
Radical小
Frequency#287
Meaningsfew, little

Step-by-Step Diagram

1
2
3
4

Try Writing It

Practice writing each stroke in the correct order and direction. Start from the green dot.

Draw stroke 1 of 4 — start from the green dot

Common Words

希少きしょうscarce; rarena-adjective
減少げんしょうdecrease; reduction; declinenoun
最少さいしょうfewest; least; smallest (number)noun
少尉しょういsecond lieutenant; sublieutenant; ensignnoun
少しすこしa little; a bit; a small amountadverb
少額しょうがくsmall sum (of money); small amountnoun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 少 (few) is taught in grade 2 of Japanese elementary school and appears at JLPT N4 level. It has 4 strokes with radical 小.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 少 is #287, making it one of the most commonly used kanji.

Example Words in Context

希少きしょう — scarce; rare
減少げんしょう — decrease; reduction; decline
最少さいしょう — fewest; least; smallest (number)

Practice Sheet

Trace then write on your own. Print this row as a PDF practice sheet.

Related Kanji

Same radical (小)

小little尚esteem

Same reading

正correct青blue

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 少 have?

The kanji 少 (few) has 4 strokes. Watch the animation above to see the correct order.

What is the correct stroke order for 少?

少 follows the standard Japanese stroke order as taught in schools. Use the step-by-step diagram or the "Try Writing" tool above to practice each stroke in sequence.

What does 少 mean?

少 means: few, little. On'yomi readings: ショウ. Kun'yomi readings: すく.ない, すこ.し.

What JLPT level is 少?

少 is a JLPT N4 kanji. This is a beginner-level kanji.