Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ドワーフ | dowāfu | [do̞β̞a̠ːɸɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 小人 | kobito | [ɕo̞ːɲ̟ĩɴ] (narrow) [ko̞bʲito̞] (narrow) |
| 侏儒 | shuju | [ɕɨʑɨ] (narrow) |
| 矮人 | waijin | [β̞a̠iʑĩɴ] (narrow) |
The term is used to describe a being from folklore or an underground-dwelling nature spirit. In the context of modern fantasy literature, tabletop games or RPGs, the katakana form ドワーフ is used to specifically refer to the race of stout beings.
Which one should you use?
ドワーフ is the standard term for the specific fantasy race found in video games and modern fantasy novels. In contrast, 小人 is a more general term used in traditional folklore to describe any small person, sprite or tiny humanoid being. The form 矮人 is a more formal or literary way to describe a dwarf or a person of very short stature, often appearing in historical or academic contexts. Finally, 侏儒 is a technical or clinical term for a person with dwarfism.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
dowāfu
Did you know?
- While 小人 can be read as 'shōnin', this pronunciation is a homophone for the word 'merchant'. To avoid confusion, people often use the reading 'kobito' when talking about little people or folklore.
- In modern Japanese gaming culture, the term ドワーフ is often associated with a specific 'craftsman' trope, making the word synonymous with high-quality blacksmithing.
- The reading change from 'hito' to 'bito' in 小人 is an example of 'rendaku', a phonetic rule where a sound becomes voiced when it is joined to another word.
Examples in context
- あの人は小人ですか？Is that person a dwarf?
- ドワーフは地下に住んでいる。dowāfu wa chika ni sunde iru.Dwarfs live underground.
- ドワーフは鍛冶が得意だ。dowāfu wa kajii ga tokui da.Dwarfs are good at blacksmithing.
- あの物語にはドワーフが登場する。ano monogatari ni wa dowāfu ga tōjō suru.Dwarfs appear in that story.
Example conversation
Yui and Ren are discussing a fantasy novel.
- 結衣 Yuiこの本にドワーフが出てくるよ。kono hon ni dowāfu ga dete kuru yo.Dwarves appear in this book.
- 蓮 Renドワーフは鍛冶屋が得意なんだよね。dowāfu wa kajiya ga tokui nan da yo ne.Dwarves are skilled blacksmiths, aren't they?
- 結衣 Yuiそう、とても力強いキャラクターだね。sō, totemo chikaradzuyoi kyarakutā da ne.Yes, they are very strong characters.
- 蓮 Ren僕もその本を読んでみたいな。boku mo sono hon o yonde mitai na.I want to read that book too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dwarf” translations and entries ドワーフ, 小人, 侏儒, 矮人, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ドワーフ, 小人, CC BY-SA 4.0.
