How to say "lessen" in Japanese

• 少なくなるすくなくなる
  expression, godan verb, intransitive verbDescribes a quantity or number falling by itself, with no agent doing the reducing; the natural choice when stock, numbers or opportunities simply become fewer.
• 減ずるげんずる
  ichidan verb (-zuru), transitive verbThe -ずる form of a single verb: it covers both a quantity decreasing and someone decreasing it, and reaches the sense of easing or mitigating something.
• 減じるげんじる
  ichidan verb, transitive verbThe -じる form of 減ずる, identical in meaning and freely interchangeable with it; which of the two appears is a matter of style.
  あなたの欠点けってんでさえも私のあなたに対たいする尊敬そんけいの気持きもちを減げんじはしないし、友情ゆうじょうにおいてはこれが大切たいせつなことです。↗

  Even your faults do not lessen my respect for you, and in friendship this is what counts.

Use 「少なくなる」 when something becomes less of its own accord; 「減ずる」 and 「減じる」 are two forms of a single verb that can also take an object.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 少なくなるすくなくなるto lessen
• 減ずるげんずるto reduce
• 減じるげんじるto reduce
• 引くひくto lessen
• 落とすおとすto lower (e.g. shoulders or voice)