耗
decrease
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
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.