How to Say "Decimals" in Japanese

小数

shōsuu

The Japanese word for "decimals" is 小数 (shōsuu).

小数 refers to numbers based on ten that use a point to indicate a fractional part.

What does it mean word for word?

Literally, 小数 translates to "small number".

While 小数 refers to the decimals themselves, the term for the decimal point is 小数点.

shōsuu

While 小数 means 'decimal', the character 小 is also used in 少数, which means 'a small number of people' or 'a minority'.
In Japanese, the point in 小数点 is the same 点 (ten) used to describe a 'point' in a sports match or a 'dot' in a pattern.
The character 数 in 小数 is also the root for the word 'number of times' or 'frequency', showing that 'decimals' are fundamentally treated as a specific type of 'count'.

次の分数を小数に直しなさい。
Convert the following fractions to decimals.
This sentence is useful for showing how to use 小数 when instructing someone to convert fractions.
Tatoeba #3563621 by tommy_san, translation #9235196 by kedymera
0.5は小数です。
0.5 is a decimal.
小数を使って計算します。
shousuu o tsukatte keisan shimasu.
I will calculate using decimals.
この数字は小数です。
kono suuji wa shousuu desu.
This number is a decimal.

Two students are studying math together at a library.

陽太 Yota

この問題は小数が出るね。
kono mondai wa shousuu ga deru ne.
Decimals appear in this problem, don't they?
結衣 Yui

陽太くん、それは難しいよ。
yoota-kun, sore wa muzukashii yo.
Youta, that is difficult.
陽太 Yota

結衣さんは大丈夫？
yui-san wa daijoubu?
Are you okay, Yui?
結衣 Yui

うん、小数なら得意だよ。
un, shousuu nara tokui da yo.
Yeah, I'm good with decimals.

Sources

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