Chibi (ちび or チビ?) is a Japanese slang word meaning "short person" or "small child". The word has gained currency among fans of manga and anime. Its meaning is of someone or some animal that is small. It can be translated as "little", but is not used the same way as chiisana [小さな] (tiny, small, little in Japanese) but rather cute. A prototypical example of the former usage in the original Japanese