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少数の
shōsū no
What does "少数の" mean in English?
a small number of少数の人しかその事実を知らなかった。
Only a small number of people knew that fact.
How to use "少数の" correctly: definitions and examples in English?
formal
A small quantity or number of something, typically less than the majority.
少数の国しかその条約に署名しなかった。
Only a small number of countries signed the treaty.
少数の意見はしばしば無視される。
Minority opinions are often ignored.
technical
In mathematics or statistics, a quantity that is less than half of a total.
少数のサンプルでは正確な結論を出すのは難しい。
It is difficult to draw accurate conclusions from a small number of samples.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Avoid overusing in casual speech
While 少数の is grammatically correct, in everyday conversation Japanese speakers often use simpler phrases like 少し (sukoshi, 'a little') or わずか (wazuka, 'only a few') unless emphasizing a small quantity in a formal context.
Gold Rule
Match context to quantity
Use 少数の when referring to a countable quantity (e.g., people, objects, countries). For uncountable quantities (e.g., water, time), use 少量の (shōryō no) or わずかな (wazuka na).
Word Origin
Composed of the kanji 少 (shō, 'few, little') and 数 (sū, 'number, count'). The phrase 少数の (shōsū no) literally means 'small number of' and has been used in Japanese since the classical period to describe quantities smaller than the majority.
Usage Notes
Used in both general and technical contexts. In formal writing or official documents, it is preferred over casual expressions like 少しの (sukoshi no) or ほんのわずかの (honno wazuka no). Avoid using it to describe physical smallness (e.g., 'a small number of apples' is better expressed as りんごが少ない).
Word Breakdown
少
few, little
kanji数
number, count
kanjiの
possessive particle (links 少数 to the noun it modifies)
grammatical particle和英辞典