小腹

小腹

"Small appetite" or "slight hunger."

In this sentence, '小腹' refers to a slight hunger felt before the main mealtime, often used to describe a desire for a snack.

お昼前に小腹が空いて軽いスナックを食べた。

Before lunch, I felt a bit hungry and had a light snack.

Here, '小腹' is used to indicate a mild hunger, often satisfied by a small portion of food.

小腹を満たすためにフルーツを少し食べました。

I ate some fruit to satisfy a minor hunger.

In this example, '小腹' is mentioned as the feeling of hunger experienced late at night, prompting the consumption of a small treat.

夜遅くに小腹が空いたので、クッキーをつまんだ。

Late at night, I felt a bit hungry and nibbled on a cookie.