ほんの

ほんの

"ほんの" means "just," "only," or "mere."

In this sentence, 'ほんの' emphasizes the small quantity of what was eaten, showing modesty or triviality.

ほんの少しだけ食べました。

I just ate a little bit.

In this sentence, 'ほんの' is used to indicate a short period of time or simplicity, minimizing the importance of the timeframe.

私はほんの子供の頃、絵を描くのが好きでした。

When I was just a child, I liked drawing.

Here, 'ほんの' is used to convey that the joke was trivial or not meant seriously.

彼はほんの冗談として言ったんだ。

He said it just as a joke.