• 小ちいさい — small
• 小学生しょうがくせい — elementary school student
• 小学校しょうがっこう — elementary school
• 小説しょうせつ — novel
• 小雨こさめ — light rain
• 小声こごえ — whisper / low voice

The character “小” shows three strokes representing something tiny or minimal in space. It’s often used to describe physical size, age (e.g., 小学生), or even tone (e.g., 小声). Simple and intuitive, it's among the first kanji learners acquire.