Common word› JLPT N2 › Freq. Frequency Top 50,000 Conjugation 衰える · ichidan verb
Form Positive Negative Dictionary 衰おとろ える 衰おとろ えない Polite 衰おとろ えます 衰おとろ えません Past polite 衰おとろ えました 衰おとろ えませんでした Past 衰おとろ えた 衰おとろ えなかった Te-form 衰おとろ えて 衰おとろ えないで Desire 衰おとろ えたい 衰おとろ えたくない Potential 衰おとろ えられる also 衰おとろ えれる 衰おとろ えられない also 衰おとろ えれない Passive 衰おとろ えられる 衰おとろ えられない Causative 衰おとろ えさせる 衰おとろ えさせない Causative passive 衰おとろ えさせられる 衰おとろ えさせられない Volitional 衰おとろ えよう Polite volitional 衰おとろ えましょう Imperative 衰おとろ えろ 衰おとろ えるな Conditional 衰おとろ えれば 衰おとろ えなければ Tara conditional 衰おとろ えたら 衰おとろ えなかったら
Usage patterns 〈 物もの 〉 が 衰おとろ える for one's physical strength, eyesight, memory, or a nation's power to decline
Muscle strength declines with age.
衰おとろ える 一いっ 方ぽう だ to be continuously declining, getting weaker and weaker
As the population ages, the local economy just keeps declining.
Related words· 9 弱る is broader and can describe emotional or physical weakening (sometimes suddenly), while 衰える stresses a gradual, often long-term loss of strength or vitality.
衰退する is a formal, often written term used for the decline of societies, industries, or systems, whereas 衰える is more general and can describe personal physical decline too.
減退する focuses on a measurable decrease in a specific faculty or function (e.g. appetite, vision), while 衰える describes a broader, more general loss of strength or vitality.
衰える focuses on a gradual decline in ability, health, or vigor over time, while 弱まる more generally describes any reduction in intensity or force.
Show 5 more Show fewer 衰える describes a broader decline in strength, health, or power, while 鈍る specifically implies losing sharpness or quickness.
衰える describes a general weakening or decline (of health, strength, or a nation), while 廃れる specifically means a custom, fashion, or technology falls out of use.
衰える is a general verb for a decline in strength, health, or power, while 下火になる specifically evokes a fire losing intensity and is often used for fading trends or excitement.
衰える focuses on losing strength or vigor directly, while 傾く describes the same decline more figuratively, as if tilting toward ruin.
衰える means to decline or weaken (strength, health, power), while 褪せる in its figurative sense focuses on emotions or memories losing vividness rather than physical decline.
Opposites· 6 prosper; flourish; thrive
衰える means to decline or weaken, the opposite of 振るう 's sense of flourishing or thriving.
衰える means a skill or ability weakens or declines over time, the opposite of 腕が上がる , which describes a skill improving.
Show 3 more Show fewer 衰える means to decline or weaken, the direct opposite of 時めく 's sense of thriving and enjoying prosperity.
衰える means to decline or weaken, the opposite of 盛る (さかる ) meaning to gain force or prosper.
衰える means to decline or weaken, the opposite of はびこる 's sense of thriving and spreading out of control.
Word family weakening; decline; emaciation
become emaciated; waste away; grow thin and worn out
waste away; decline with age
languish; grow weak and feeble
be utterly spent; be completely exhausted; be crushed
Written forms 衰おとろ える Usage 91%
Standard kanji spelling; high priority.
おとろえる Usage 9%
Etymology The historical derivation is uncertain. The kanji 衰 carries the meaning of decline or weakening, and the verb is conventionally associated with this meaning.
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