減げん少しょう

げ

ん

しょ

う

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

減少する · noun or participle which takes 'suru'

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	減げん少しょうする	減げん少しょうしない
Polite	減げん少しょうします	減げん少しょうしません
Past polite	減げん少しょうしました	減げん少しょうしませんでした
Past	減げん少しょうした	減げん少しょうしなかった
Te-form	減げん少しょうして	減げん少しょうしないで
Desire	減げん少しょうしたい	減げん少しょうしたくない
Potential	減げん少しょうできる	減げん少しょうできない
Passive	減げん少しょうされる	減げん少しょうされない
Causative	減げん少しょうさせる	減げん少しょうさせない
Causative passive	減げん少しょうさせられる	減げん少しょうさせられない
Volitional	減げん少しょうしよう
Polite volitional	減げん少しょうしましょう
Imperative	減げん少しょうしろ	減げん少しょうするな
Conditional	減げん少しょうすれば	減げん少しょうしなければ
Tara conditional	減げん少しょうしたら	減げん少しょうしなかったら

Meanings

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb, intransitive verb, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

decrease; reduction; decline

Used for numbers, amounts, population, sales, risk, and similar measurable things going down. 減少する can be intransitive, as in 人口が減少する, and also transitive in more formal contexts, as in コストを減少する; 減少の is used before nouns such as 減少傾向.

Antonyms: 増加

この地ち域いきでは人じん口こうが年ねん々ねん減げん少しょうしている。
The population in this region is decreasing year by year.
会かい社しゃは無む駄だなコストを減げん少しょうする必ひつ要ようがある。
The company needs to reduce unnecessary costs.
売うり上あげの減げん少しょうが大おおきな問もん題だいになっている。
The decline in sales has become a major problem.

See all 214 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈数かず〉が減げん少しょうするfor a number/amount to decrease
この地ち域いきでは若わか者ものの人じん口こうが減げん少しょうしている。
The young population in this area is decreasing.
〈数かず〉を減げん少しょうさせるto cause a number/amount to decrease
新あたらしい技ぎ術じゅつがコストを減げん少しょうさせた。
The new technology reduced costs.
〈物もの〉の減げん少しょうa decrease in something
売うり上あげの減げん少しょうが続つづいている。
The decline in sales has continued.
減げん少しょう傾けい向こうにあるto be on a downward trend
出しゅっ生しょう率りつは減げん少しょう傾けい向こうにある。
The birth rate is on a declining trend.
大おお幅はばに減げん少しょうするto decrease sharply
観かん光こう客きゃくの数かずが大おお幅はばに減げん少しょうした。
The number of tourists decreased sharply.

Kanji

減dwindle, decrease, reduce
少few, little

Transitive / intransitive

減少 (as する) can be used both intransitively, as in 人口が減少する (the population decreases), and transitively in formal contexts, as in コストを減少する (to decrease costs).

Related words· 15

低てい下かN2
低下 stresses a drop in level, quality, or ability, whereas 減少 focuses on a smaller quantity or number.
削さく減げんN2
削減 is a deliberate cut, such as of a budget or staff, while 減少 can describe either a natural or an intentional decrease.
縮しゅく小しょうN2
縮小 refers to shrinking in scale or size, while 減少 is specifically about a drop in number or amount.
ダウンN1
減少 is the formal Japanese term for a decrease in quantity or value, while ダウン is the casual loanword equivalent often used in everyday or technical talk.

Show 11 more

漸ぜん減げん
減少 is a general term for decrease of any speed or degree, while 漸減 specifically stresses a slow, step-by-step decline.
激げき減げんN1
減少 describes a general decrease of any size, while 激減 specifically emphasizes a sudden and dramatic drop.
減へるN4
減少する is a formal, written word for 'to decrease' often used in statistics or reports, while 減る is the everyday spoken verb for the same idea.
減げん
減少 is the fuller, more formal word for 'decrease' used as a stand-alone suru-verb or noun, while 減 is a terse suffix or shorthand noun typically attached to figures or other nouns.
低てい減げん
減少 describes a general decrease in number or quantity, while 低減 emphasizes lowering a level, degree, or burden, often through deliberate effort.
目め減べり
減少 is a general word for any decrease in number or amount, while 目減り specifically describes a gradual loss of quantity, weight, or value, often through storage, transport, or inflation.
減げん量りょうN2
減量 is used for reducing a specific measurable quantity like weight or dosage, while 減少 is the more general word for any decrease, such as in population or sales.
減げん退たい
減少 describes a numerical decrease in quantity or amount, while 減退 describes a decline in intensity or abstract vitality such as appetite or motivation.
衰すい退たいN1
減少 simply means a numerical decrease, whereas 衰退 implies a loss of vigor, prosperity, or influence beyond just numbers.
半はん減げんN1
減少 is a general term for a decrease of any size, whereas 半減 specifies that the decrease is by exactly half.
減げん額がく
減少 is a general term for any decrease in quantity or number, while 減額 is specifically about reducing a sum of money.

Opposites

増ぞう加かN3
increase; rise; growth
増ぞう殖しょくN1
減少 means a decrease in number, the direct opposite of 増殖's meaning of multiplying or proliferating.
伸のびN1
減少 means a decrease or decline in some figure, the opposite of 伸び, which means an increase or growth in that figure.
増ぞう大だいN2
減少 means a decrease or decline, the direct opposite of 増大's increase or growth.

Don't confuse with

減げん退たい
減退 describes a weakening of strength, appetite, or interest, while 減少 is about a numerical decrease in quantity.
現げん象しょうN2
現象 (phenomenon) and 減少 (decrease) are pronounced identically as げんしょう but have completely unrelated meanings, so learners must rely on context or kanji.
軽けい減げんN2
減少 refers to a decrease in quantity or number (e.g. population, sales), while 軽減 refers specifically to lightening a burden, pain, or severity.
増ぞう減げんN2
減少 means only 'decrease,' while 増減 covers both the increase and the decrease of a quantity.

Word family· 9

人じん口こう減げん少しょう
population decline; depopulation
体たい重じゅう減げん少しょう
weight loss; weight reduction; decrease in body weight
単たん調ちょう減げん少しょう
monotonic decrease; monotonically decreasing
需じゅ要よう減げん少しょう
reduced demand; decline in demand
白はっ血けっ球きゅう減げん少しょう
leukopenia; leucopenia

Show 4 more

血けっ小しょう板ばん減げん少しょう
thrombocytopenia; low platelet count
汎はん血けっ球きゅう減げん少しょう症しょう
pancytopenia
顆か粒りゅう球きゅう減げん少しょう症しょう
agranulocytosis
脳のう脊せき髄ずい液えき減げん少しょう症しょう
cerebrospinal fluid hypovolemia; CSF hypovolemia; intracranial hypotension syndrome

Etymology

A Sino-Japanese compound written with 減, associated with lessening or reducing, and 少, associated with being few or little. This component explanation describes the modern spelling and meaning; the precise historical formation is not specified.