Difference between chiisai (小さい) and komakai (細かい)？


Both are い-adjectives meaning "small".

From what I gather (though I'm not sure), _chiisai_ is used mainly for
specifying objects as 'small'; while _komakai_ can have uses like: "
**minute** differences", " **trivial** matters", " **finer** details".




## 小さい

* * *

小さい = **small** (not to be big/wide etc.),

> 小さい部屋 → small room

It can also carry the nuance of:

  * short ( **small** height)

> (彼は)小さいです。 → He is small (size/age)

  * young ( **small** age)

> (彼は)まだ小さいです。→ He is still young. (まだ gives emphasis on the " **small** _age_
> ")

  * trivial ( **small** matter)

> 小さい話 → A **trivial** or unimportant story

  * Quiet Voice ( **small** voice)

> 小さい声 → quiet voice; (quietly)

## 細かい

* * *

細かい = **tiny** , but also means: **detailed** ;

When 細かい refers to an object, it is something smaller than 小さい,

  * 細かい説明 → Detailed explanation
  * 細かいところ → The details ( **fine** parts)
  * 細かい雨 → **Fine** rain
  * 細かく切る → To cut **finely**
  * 細かい話 → A detailed story (see how this differs from the same example above?)

Also 細かい can have a _negative nuance_ : 金に細かい ( **stingy** with money) -> very
common expression

* * *




## 小さい

* * *

小さい = **small** (not to be big/wide etc.),

> 小さい部屋 → small room

It can also carry the nuance of:

  * short ( **small** height)

> (彼は)小さいです。 → He is small (size/age)

  * young ( **small** age)

> (彼は)まだ小さいです。→ He is still young. (まだ gives emphasis on the " **small** _age_
> ")

  * trivial ( **small** matter)

> 小さい話 → A **trivial** or unimportant story

  * Quiet Voice ( **small** voice)

> 小さい声 → quiet voice; (quietly)

## 細かい

* * *

細かい = **tiny** , but also means: **detailed** ;

When 細かい refers to an object, it is something smaller than 小さい,

  * 細かい説明 → Detailed explanation
  * 細かいところ → The details ( **fine** parts)
  * 細かい雨 → **Fine** rain
  * 細かく切る → To cut **finely**
  * 細かい話 → A detailed story (see how this differs from the same example above?)

Also 細かい can have a _negative nuance_ : 金に細かい ( **stingy** with money) -> very
common expression

* * *

