Another expression that utilizes the 少（すく） kanji (meaning ‘few’), in its
い-Adjective form, is
少（すく）なくない. This is an example of a double negative in Japanese, as
少（すく）ない ‘a few’ is being negated in
少（すく）なくない. Therefore, the meaning is ‘not a few’, and translates more closely to ‘quite a few’, or ‘quite a lot’.
To use this expression, simply pair a noun with
は,
が, or
も, and then follow it with
少（すく）なくない (or
少（すく）なくありません).
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漢字（かんじ）を書（か） くのが嫌（きら）いな子（こ）は少（すく）なくない。
There are quite a few children that dislike writing kanji.
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私（わたし）は好（す）き嫌（きら）いが少（すく）なくないんです。
I have many things that I like and dislike.
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寝（ね）る前（まえ）にお菓子（かし）を食（た）べる人（ひと）も少（すく）なくない。
There are also many people that eat snacks before they sleep.
The ない in
少（すく）ない is not the
い-Adjective ない, but part of the word
少（すく）ない itself. There are several
い-Adjectives like this in Japanese, and they will need to be remembered.
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今年（ことし）は去年（きょねん）よりも雨（あめ）が降（ふ）る日（ひ）が少（すく）ない。
Compared to last year, there are fewer days with rain this year.
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天気（てんき）が悪（わる）い時（とき）に釣（つ）りに行（い）くのは危（あぶ）ない。
It is dangerous to go fishing when the weather's bad.
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手（て）が汚（きたな）いから手（て）を洗（あら） う。
My hands are dirty so I will wash them.