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Kotomora

耗

decrease

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolStrokes10

Readings

On'yomi

  • モウ
  • コウ

Kun'yomi

—

Meaning

耗 centers on gradual reduction or wearing away: a decrease in amount, strength, or resources over time.

Most common words using 耗

  • 消耗しょうもう
    N2

    exhaustion; consumption; using up; dissipation; waste

  • 摩耗まもう

    wear; abrasion

  • 損耗そんもう

    wear; loss

  • 消耗品しょうもうひん

    consumable goods

  • 心神耗弱しんしんこうじゃく

    diminished capacity; diminished responsibility; legally unaccountable (e.g. due to mental illness, drugs, alcohol, etc.)

  • 咬耗こうもう

    attrition; occlusal wear

  • 咬耗症こうもうしょう

    attrition; occlusal wear

  • 心神耗弱者しんしんこうじゃくしゃ

    person of diminished capacity (e.g. drugs, alcohol, mental retardation, etc.)

  • 慢性消耗病まんせいしょうもうびょう

    chronic wasting disease; CWD

  • 損耗人員そんもうじんいん

    casualty

  • 消耗品費しょうもうひんひ

    expenses for consumable goods; supplies expenses

  • 消耗戦しょうもうせん

    war of attrition

  • 消耗的しょうもうてき

    exhaustive

  • 減耗げんもう

    natural decrease

  • 石油減耗せきゆげんもう

    oil depletion

  • 耐摩耗性たいまもうせい

    abrasion resistance; wear resistance

  • 自然損耗しぜんそんもう

    normal wear and tear; natural wear

  • 衰耗すいもう

    weaken and decline

Explore all words using 耗 →

Study

Etymology

耗 combines 耒 (a farming tool) with 毛 (hair/fine), suggesting the idea of something being worn down or reduced like a tool wearing thin or hair falling out.

Meaning mnemonic

A farming tool 耒 and hair 毛 together suggest something wearing thin: a tool losing its edge or hair thinning out, both showing a decrease.

Reading mnemonic

For モウ, imagine a mower slowly decreasing the length of the grass: mow -> モウ, and the tool on the left helps cut it down.