減
減·decrease, reduce
- On-yomi
- ゲン
- Kun-yomi
- へるへらす
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 減る | へる | to decrease, to diminish |
| 減らす | へらす | to reduce something |
| 減少 | げんしょう | a decrease |
| 加減 | かげん | degree, adjustment |
Example sentences
この町の子どもの数が減っています。
このまちのこどものかずがへっています。
The number of children in this town is decreasing.
体のために塩を減らすことにしました。
からだのためにしおをへらすことにしました。
I decided to cut down on salt for my health.
今年は事故の減少がはっきり見られる。
ことしはじこのげんしょうがはっきりみられる。
A clear decrease in accidents can be seen this year.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- Mixing up 減る (it decreases) with 減らす (I reduce it)
- Forgetting that お腹が減る, literally 'the stomach decreases', means to get hungry
Memory aid
Picture it
Water (氵) draining away from a sealed pot — the level keeps going down.
Vocabulary using this kanji
- 減量するげんりょうするto lose weight
- 削減するさくげんするto cut, to reduce (costs, numbers, emissions)
- 激減するげきげんするto decrease sharply, to plummet
- 増減ぞうげんincrease and decrease, fluctuation, change in quantity
- 減るへるto decrease
- 減らすへらすto reduce
- 減少するげんしょうするto decrease
- 加減かげんdegree, extent, adjustment; condition (of health)
- 減刑げんけいcommutation, reduction of sentence
- 減益げんえきdecrease in profit
- 減価償却げんかしょうきゃくdepreciation
- 減点げんてんdeduction of points; a demerit
Quick check
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What does the kanji 減 mean?