狭い（せまい、semai）
- narrow

The Japanese word 狭い (せまい, *semai*) primarily means "narrow," "small," or "confined" in English. It describes something that has a limited width or space, or that is lacking in spaciousness. The meaning can extend to the idea of being cramped or restricted. The concept of 狭い can also be applied metaphorically to describe a limited scope, such as "narrow-minded." ⚫︎ It refers to a limited physical space, width, or breadth. ⚫︎ It describes a feeling of restriction or lack of space. ⚫︎ It can also refer to a limited capacity or scope of something.

⚫︎部屋が狭い Translation: The room is narrow/small. ⚫︎この道は狭いですね Translation: This road is narrow, isn't it? ⚫︎彼の考えは狭い Translation: His thinking is narrow/narrow-minded.

狭い is used to describe physical spaces, routes, or objects that are limited in width or space. It is also used to describe situations where there is a feeling of being cramped or restricted. The word can be used both objectively and subjectively. When talking about physical space, it's used to describe that the space is 狭い. When speaking about a person's ideas or perspective, you use it to describe they have a "narrow" view. It is important to consider the context to fully grasp the meaning.

狭い is typically written in kanji 狭い, hiragana せまい, and is not usually written in katakana. The okurigana (送りがな, the hiragana that follows the kanji) is always い.

⚫︎ 小さい (*chiisai*) - small (in size, but not necessarily narrow) ⚫︎ 細い (*hosoi*) - thin, slender (can be used for narrow) ⚫︎ 細長い (*hosonagai*) - long and narrow ⚫︎ 小規模な (*shoukinna*) - small scale (used more for areas) ⚫︎ 窮屈な (*kyuukutsuna*) - cramped, confined ⚫︎ 手狭な (*tesemana*) - cramped, not spacious

⚫︎ 広い (*hiroi*) - wide, spacious ⚫︎ 大きい (*ookii*) - big, large ⚫︎ 広々とした (*hirahiro to shita*) - spacious, wide open

このアパートはちょっと狭いけど、家賃が安い ・Translation: This apartment is a little 狭い, but the rent is cheap. ・Explanation: The sentence describes a limited amount of space in the apartment, using 狭い.

狭い路地を抜けて、目的地に着いた ・Translation: We got to the destination by going through a narrow alley. ・Explanation: The sentence refers to a restricted space, using 狭い.

The etymology of 狭い can be traced back to the Old Japanese language. The kanji 狭 itself has a semantic connection to ideas of restriction and limitation. The word evolved to signify limited space or scope.