削る|けずるkezuru[0]heiban (flat)

1. godan verb, transitive verbto shave (wood, leather, etc.); to sharpen (e.g. pencil); to plane; to whittle; to pare; to scrape off; to erode
   私はナイフで鉛筆えんぴつを削けずった。↗

   I sharpened a pencil with a knife.
2. godan verb, transitive verbto cut down (budget, expenses, staff, time, etc.); to curtail; to reduce
3. godan verb, transitive verbto delete; to erase; to remove; to cross out; to strike out
   彼かれの名前なまえはリストから削けずられた。↗

   He was struck off the list.

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

• Synonym減らすへらすNeutralThe most general verb for reducing a quantity; 「削る」 carries the concrete image of shaving or cutting a part away.
• Synonym減殺げんさいWrittenA written/formal word for diminishing an effect or interest, as in 「効果を減殺する」; 「削る」 stresses removal.
• SynonymそぐNeutralShaves or slices off at an angle, and figuratively damps spirit, as in 「やる気を削ぐ」; 「削る」 focuses on shaving away a thin surface layer.
• Related削減さくげんWrittenA written/formal word for cutting budgets or staff, as in 「経費削減」; 「削る」 is more colloquial and also covers shaving real objects or sharpening pencils.
• Related縮減しゅくげんWrittenA written/formal term for reducing scale or quantity; in everyday speech people say 「減らす」 or 「削る」.
• Related減少げんしょうNeutralA decrease in quantity, natural or deliberate, as in 「人口減少」; 「削る」 is the active act of shaving or cutting a part away.
• Related縮小しゅくしょうNeutralShrinking in scale or size, as in 「事業縮小」; 「削る」 stresses removing a part of something.
• Related短縮たんしゅくNeutralShortens time or distance, as in 「時間短縮」; 「削る」 stresses cutting out or trimming down.
• Related軽減けいげんNeutralLightens burdens or pain, as in 「負担軽減」; 「削る」 stresses removing a part of something.
• Related減額げんがくNeutralReduces an amount of money, as in 「予算の減額」; 「削る」 is broader and also covers shaving away physical material.
• Related節約せつやくNeutralEconomising and avoiding waste, as in 「電気を節約」; 「削る」 is the active removal of a part.
• Related節減せつげんWrittenA written/formal word for saving and trimming expenses, as in 「経費節減」; 「削る」 is more colloquial.
• Related低減ていげんWrittenA written/formal term for lowering costs, emissions and the like, as in 「コスト低減」; 「削る」 is more colloquial.
• Related節するせっするWrittenWritten/formal and rare: to be moderate or economise; in daily speech say 「節約する」.
• Related節倹せっけんWrittenA written/formal word for thrift and frugal living, an attitude rather than an act; 「削る」 is a concrete cutting-down.
• Related減ずるげんずるWrittenA written/formal verb for decreasing or subtracting; in everyday speech say 「減らす」.
• Related切削せっさくWrittenA technical term for machining or cutting metal and similar materials; 「削る」 is the everyday all-purpose word.
• Related減損げんそんWrittenA written/formal accounting term for asset impairment or loss; 「削る」 is an active cutting-down.
• Related減じるげんじるWrittenWritten/formal, the ichidan-verb form of 「減ずる」, meaning to decrease; in everyday speech say 「減らす」.
• Antonym加えるくわえるNeutralAntonym on the add/subtract axis: to add or append something.
• Antonym増やすふやすNeutralAntonym on the increase/decrease axis: to increase a quantity.
• Antonym盛るもるNeutralAntonym on the remove/pile-up axis: to heap food or soil onto something.
• AntonymつけるNeutralAntonym on the remove/attach axis: to attach or affix something.

「削る」 covers shaving a surface, sharpening a pencil and trimming a budget. For formal talk of cuts pick 「削減」; for economising, 「節約」; for simply reducing a quantity, 「減らす」; for shortening time or distance, 「短縮」. The antonyms are 「加える」 and 「増やす」.

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

1. 刃物はもので物ものの表面ひょうめんを薄うすく削ぎ取そぎとる。
2. 全体ぜんたいの中なかから一部分いちぶぶんを取り除とりのぞく。削除さくじょする。削減さくげんする。
3. 櫛くしで髪かみを梳とかす。