小人
kobito[ɕo̞ːɲ̟ĩɴ]
The English phrase "midget" can be translated into Japanese using 小人 (kobito). Wiktionary also lists ちび (chibi) and ミゼット (mizetto).
Meaning: person of small stature of adult height less than 4'10" (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 小人 | kobito | [ɕo̞ːɲ̟ĩɴ] (narrow) [ko̞bʲito̞] (narrow) |
| ちび | chibi | [t͡ɕibʲi] (narrow) |
| ミゼット | mizetto |
The term 小人 refers to a person of small stature with an adult height of less than 4'10". While ミゼット is a loanword from the English "midget", it is often used in specific contexts like car models or technical terms rather than as a common descriptor for people."
What does it mean word for word?
The word 小人 is composed of the characters for "small" (小) and "person" (人).
Which one should you use?
ちび is a colloquial term.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ちび is a colloquialism.
How do you pronounce it?
kobito
Did you know?
- The word 小人 can be read as shōjin to describe a person with a small heart or a narrow-minded person. In this context, it is a moral judgment rather than a description of physical height.
- In certain historical Japanese contexts, the term 小人 was used to describe low-ranking officials or people of humble social status, regardless of their physical height.
- The colloquial term ちび is actually derived from the verb chibiru, which means 'to wear down' or 'to diminish' over time.
Examples in context
- 童話には小人がよく登場します。Douwa ni wa kobito ga yoku toujou shimasu.Little people often appear in fairy tales.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a fantasy movie.
- 美咲 Misakiあの映画には小人がたくさん出たね。Ano eiga ni wa kobito ga takusan deta ne.There were many little people in that movie, wasn't there?
- 大翔 Hirotoうん、すごく可愛かったよ。Un, sugoku kawaikatta yo.Yeah, they were very cute.
- 美咲 Misaki大翔は、あんなキャラクターが好き？Hiroto wa, anna kyarakutaa ga suki?Hiroto, do you like those kinds of characters?
- 大翔 Hirotoもちろん、世界観が面白いからね。Mochiron, seikaikan ga omoshiroi kara ne.Of course, because the world-building is interesting.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “midget” translations and entries 小人, ちび, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ちび, 小人, CC BY-SA 4.0.
