Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
減少 (げんしょう, genshou) Japanese meaning: decrease | Kotomora
Common word› JLPT N2 › Freq. Frequency Top 5,000 Conjugation 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
Report an issue with this page
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.
The company needs to reduce unnecessary costs.
The decline in sales has become a major problem.
Usage patterns 〈 数かず 〉 が 減げん 少しょう する for a number/amount to decrease
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
The new technology reduced costs.
〈 物もの 〉 の 減げん 少しょう a decrease in something
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
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
The number of tourists decreased sharply.
Kanji 減 dwindle, decrease, reduce 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 低下 stresses a drop in level, quality, or ability, whereas 減少 focuses on a smaller quantity or number.
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.
縮小 refers to shrinking in scale or size, while 減少 is specifically about a drop in number or amount.
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 減少 is a general term for decrease of any speed or degree, while 漸減 specifically stresses a slow, step-by-step decline.
減少 describes a general decrease of any size, while 激減 specifically emphasizes a sudden and dramatic drop.
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.
Opposites increase; rise; growth
減少 means a decrease in number, the direct opposite of 増殖's meaning of multiplying or proliferating.
減少 means a decrease or decline in some figure, the opposite of 伸び, which means an increase or growth in that figure.
Don't confuse with 減退 describes a weakening of strength, appetite, or interest, while 減少 is about a numerical decrease in quantity.
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.
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.
Word family· 9 population decline; depopulation
weight loss; weight reduction; decrease in body weight
monotonic decrease; monotonically decreasing
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.
減少 describes a general decrease in number or quantity, while 低減 emphasizes lowering a level, degree, or burden, often through deliberate effort.
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.
減少 simply means a numerical decrease, whereas 衰退 implies a loss of vigor, prosperity, or influence beyond just numbers.
減少 is a general term for a decrease of any size, whereas 半減 specifies that the decrease is by exactly half.
減少 is a general term for any decrease in quantity or number, while 減額 is specifically about reducing a sum of money.
N2
減少 means a decrease or decline, the direct opposite of 増大's increase or growth.
ぞう
減げん
N2
減少 means only 'decrease,' while 増減 covers both the increase and the decrease of a quantity.
じゅ
要よう
減げん
少しょう
reduced demand; decline in demand
