縮む (ちぢむ, chijimu) Japanese meaning: shrink | Kotomora

縮ちぢむ

also: ちじむ

ち

ぢ

む

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

縮む · godan verb (-mu)

Meanings

godan verb (-mu), intransitive verb

shrink; contract; get smaller

Describes something becoming smaller in size, length, or volume. Often used for physical objects, fabrics, or abstract things like lifespans.

縮ちぢめるN2
縮む is the intransitive form meaning something shrinks by itself, while 縮める is transitive, meaning someone shortens or shrinks something.

縮ちぢまるN2
縮む often describes a noticeable or undesirable shrinkage (like fabric after washing), while 縮まる is more neutral, often used for a gap or distance narrowing.
収しゅう縮しゅく
収縮する is a more technical/scientific term for contraction (muscles, materials), while 縮む is the everyday word for something getting smaller.
縮しゅく小しょうN2
縮小する is a formal term for reducing scale or size (budgets, operations), while 縮む is used for physical shrinking of concrete things.

伸のびるN3
伸びる means to stretch or grow longer, the direct opposite of 縮む, which means to shrink or become shorter.
大おおきくなる
縮む means to shrink or contract, the opposite of 大きくなる's sense of increasing in size.
膨ふくらむN2
膨らむ describes something growing larger in volume, whereas 縮む describes something contracting or shrinking in size.

縮ちぢみN1
縮み is the noun naming the shrinkage or the resulting state, while 縮む is the intransitive verb meaning 'to shrink'.
しぼむN2
縮む refers to a general reduction in size or length (like fabric shrinking), while 萎む specifically describes losing fullness or air, as in a wilting flower or deflating balloon.
縮ちぢれるN2
縮む means to shrink or contract in size, while 縮れる means to become curly or wavy in shape, not smaller.

縮むUsage86%
- ちぢむ
  Standard kanji spelling. The reading ちぢむ is the most common pronunciation.
- ちじむ
  Alternate reading. Less common than ちぢむ, but still encountered.
ちぢむUsage14%

The kanji 縮 means 'shrink' or 'contract'. The verb is native Japanese, and the exact derivation is uncertain.