小型（こがた、kogata）
- small-sized

The Japanese word 小型 (こがた, *kogata*) means "small-sized," "small," "miniature," or "compact." It describes something that is relatively smaller than other similar things or than a standard size. It can refer to the physical size of an object, the capacity or scale of something, or even the scale of an event or business. The meaning focuses on the "smallness" or "miniature" aspect. 小型 can modify nouns, indicating that the noun is small.

⚫︎ 小型車 Translation: Small car / Compact car ⚫︎ 小型犬 Translation: Small dog ⚫︎ 小型カメラ Translation: Miniature camera / Compact camera

⚫︎ Use 小型 to describe the size of objects, machines, animals, or even businesses. ⚫︎ It is often used to compare something to a larger version or to emphasize its smaller size. ⚫︎ You can use it in formal and informal contexts. ⚫︎ It typically functions as an adjective. You can say 小型の車 (*kogata no kuruma*) which means "small-sized car."

⚫︎ Typically written as 小型 using kanji. ⚫︎ The reading is こがた (kogata) in hiragana. ⚫︎ There are no common variations in the okurigana.

⚫︎ 小さい (*chiisai*) - small (in general) ⚫︎ ミニ (*mini*) - mini ⚫︎ ちっちゃい (*chicchai*) - small (casual)

⚫︎ 大型 (*ōgata*) - large-sized ⚫︎ 大きい (*ōkii*) - big/large

このカメラは小型で、持ち運びが便利です。 ・Translation: This camera is compact and convenient to carry. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 小型 to describe the camera's size, emphasizing its portability.

新しい小型冷蔵庫を買いました。 ・Translation: I bought a new small-sized refrigerator. ・Explanation: 小型 describes the refrigerator, highlighting its smaller size compared to a standard refrigerator.

The word 小型 is formed from the kanji 小 (*ko*) meaning "small" and 型 (*gata*) meaning "model," "type," or "form". Thus, 小型 literally means "small model" or "small type," which came to mean "small-sized" or "miniature." The combination of 小 and 型 effectively encapsulates the concept of a reduced size or scale.