Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 薄い | usui | [ɯ̟sɨi] (narrow) |
| 細い | hosoi | [ho̞so̞i] (narrow) |
薄い is used for objects that have little thickness or depth from one surface to its opposite, such as a slice of bread or a layer of ice. It can also be used metaphorically to describe things that are weak, such as a thin argument or a thin color. The verb 薄める means to dilute, while the verb 痩せる means to become thinner.
Which one should you use?
薄い (usui) refers to the thickness or depth of an object, like a book or a sheet of paper. In contrast, 細い (hosoi) is used for things that are thin in terms of diameter or width, such as a finger or a piece of string.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
usui
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use 細い (hosoi) to describe a thin sheet of paper. However, you should use 薄い (usui) to describe its thickness.
Did you know?
- In Japanese, the word 薄い is used to describe a person's personality if they are perceived as lacking depth or being shallow.
- The word 薄い can be used to describe a 'thin' relationship, meaning that two people are not very close or intimate.
- The historical form of 細い (hosoi) was the adjective fososhi, which used a different ending before evolving into the modern form we use today.
Examples in context
- この薄い本は私のです。This thin book is mine.This sentence shows how to use 薄い to describe a book.Tatoeba #220205 by bunbuku, translation #57524 by CK
- 氷は非常に薄いので君の体重を支えきれないだろう。The ice is so thin that it won't bear your weight.This sentence shows how to use 薄い to describe the thickness of ice.Tatoeba #85381 by huizi99, translation #318332 by CK
- 薄いキーボードA thin keyboardThis sentence shows how to use 薄い to describe a keyboard.
- 彼は細い体型をしています。He has a thin physique.
- 彼女は痩せてきれいになりました。She became thin and beautiful.
- 最近、おばあちゃんがすごく痩せたね。Grandma has become really thin lately.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Himari are looking at a new smartphone in a shop.
- 健太 Kentaこのスマホ、すごく薄いね。Kono sumaho, sugoku usui ne.This smartphone is really thin.
- 陽葵 Himari本当だ、とてもスタイリッシュだね。Hontou da, totemo sutairishikku da ne.True, it's very stylish.
- 健太 Kentaでも、薄いから壊れやすくないかな？Demo, usui kara kowareyasu kunai kana?But since it's thin, I wonder if it breaks easily?
- 陽葵 Himari健太君、ケースを付ければ大丈夫だよ。Kenta-kun, keesu o tsukereba daijoubu da yo.Kenta, it will be fine if you use a case.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thin” translations and entries 薄い, 細い, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 細い, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
