merely · slight

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 僅 expresses a small quantity or degree; 僅か is read わずか.
• Basic usage: 僅か五分 means only five minutes, and 僅少(きんしょう) also describes a very small amount.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Before a quantity and with a verb
  • In 僅か五分, it directly precedes a quantity. In 水が僅かに残っていた, に links it to the verb to describe how little remained.