～め
on the somewhat X side
～め attaches to the stem of an い-adjective and softens it to mean “somewhat” or “on the ~ side”: 少なめ is “on the small side (in amount)”, 大きめ is “slightly big”.
It is the natural choice when adjusting amounts, sizes, or timing relative to the normal level, often used in situations like ordering food, choosing clothes, setting a schedule. It works mainly with adjectives of quantity and degree, such as 多い, 少ない, 大きい, 早い, and 高い.
1. Adjusting a level: ～めにする
With にする (“make it ~”), ～め requests a setting a notch above or below the standard.
ご飯は少なめにしてください。
“Please make the rice portion on the small side.”
- ご飯（ごはん）= rice, cooked rice
- は = topic marker
- 少なめに（すくなめに）= on the small side (amount)
- してください = please make (it)
2. Describing a thing: ～めの + noun
Before a noun, connect with の: ～めの + noun.
大きめのセーターを買いました。
“I bought a slightly big sweater.”
- 大きめ（おおきめ）= on the big side, slightly large
- の = modifier particle (links to the noun)
- セーター = sweater
- を = object marker
- 買いました（かいました）= bought
How to form it
い-adjective minus い + め
- 少ない（すくない）= few, little → 少なめ（すくなめ）= on the small side
- 大きい（おおきい）= big → 大きめ（おおきめ）= on the big side
- 早い（はやい）= early → 早め（はやめ）= a little early
Key idea
～め nudges an adjective one step in its own direction: not simply “small” but “a bit on the small side”. Use it whenever you want to fine-tune an amount, size, or time relative to what is usual.
Other N3 grammar
Updated .