Japanese word

小声

Pronunciation

Romajikogoe

Meaning

  • nounlow voice

Example

彼は小声で話します。kare wa ko goe de hana shi ma su

He speaks in a low voice.

Illustration for 小声 (low voice)

More examples

隣の人に小声で質問します。tonari no hito ni ko goe de shitsu mon shi ma su

I ask the person next to me a question in a low voice.

Core concept

Refers to speaking with reduced volume, often to avoid disturbing others or being easily heard.

Common phrases

  • 小声で話すko goe de hana su

    speak in a low voice

  • 小声で話しかけるko goe de hana shi ka ke ru

    speak to someone in a low voice

Similar words

囁きsasayaki: Speech made in a soft, breathy voice that is difficult to hear.
忍び声shinobikoe: A quiet voice used deliberately so that nearby people do not hear the speech.

Definition in Japanese

普通よりも音量を小さくした声。fu tsū yo ri mo on ryō o chii sa ku shi ta koe

Word origin

小声 (kogoe, "low voice") is a compound of 小 (ko, "small") and 声 (koe, "voice"), so its form presents a voice as small in volume.

Usage tips

  • 小声で話す (kogoe de hanasu) is broader than "whisper" because it can describe ordinary voiced speech made quiet rather than a breathy whisper.

Other meanings

  • whispernoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word