減る|へるheru[0]heiban (flat)
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
Definitions
- godan verb, intransitive verbto decrease (in size or number); to diminish; to abate
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 減る（へる） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 減ります（へります） |
| Negative (nai) | 減らない（へらない） |
| polite (masen) | 減りません（へりません） |
| classical zu / nu | 減らず・減らぬ（へらず・へらぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 減った（へった） |
| polite (mashita) | 減りました（へりました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 減らなかった（へらなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 減りませんでした（へりませんでした） |
| Te form | 減って（へって） |
| Potential | 減れる（へれる） |
| Passive | 減られる（へられる） |
| Causative | 減らせる（へらせる） |
| Causative passive | 減らせられる・減らされる（へらせられる・へらされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 減れば（へれば） |
| tara | 減ったら（へったら） |
| Volitional | 減ろう（へろう） |
| polite (mashou) | 減りましょう（へりましょう） |
| Imperative | 減れ（へれ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Transitive / intransitive pair
仕事が減る
減る expresses that something decreases or diminishes on its own (marked with が), while 減らす expresses that someone or something actively reduces it (marked with を).
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym減少げんしょうWrittenWritten-style noun for a drop in numbers or amounts, as in 「人口減少」; common in news, while 「減る」 is the everyday verb.
- Synonym低下ていかWrittenWritten word for a fall in level or ability, as in 「体力の低下」; stresses things getting worse, while 「減る」 stresses quantity shrinking.
- Synonym減退げんたいWrittenWritten word for the fading of an ability or desire, as in 「食欲減退」; mostly used for bodily functions weakening.
- Synonym下落げらくWrittenWritten word for a fall in price, market value, rank or status, as in 「株価の下落」.
- Synonym落ちるおちるNeutralNeutral verb for things physically falling, and for quality, speed or popularity dropping, as in 「人気が落ちる」; far broader than 「減る」.
- Synonym下降かこうWrittenWritten-style word for position or figures moving down, as in 「気温が下降する」.
- Synonym低落ていらくWrittenWritten word for a fall in price or reputation; in daily speech say 「下がる」 instead.
- Synonym低減ていげんWrittenWritten word for reducing or lowering, as in 「コストを低減する」; typical of technical and environmental contexts.
- SynonymさがるNeutralNeutral verb for moving down in height or level, as in 「熱が下がる」, and for stepping back; 「減る」 is about quantity shrinking.
- Synonym減ずるげんずるWrittenWritten verb meaning to decrease or subtract; it can take a direct object. In everyday speech use 「減る」 or 「減らす」.
- Synonym減じるげんじるWrittenWritten verb, same meaning as 「減ずる」: to decrease or lessen. Everyday speech simply uses 「減る」.
- Related落ち込むおちこむCasualColloquial: to sink into a low mood or a business slump, as in 「売上が落ち込む」; stresses hitting a trough rather than a drop in quantity.
- Related衰退すいたいWrittenWritten word for the decline of industries or influence, as in 「産業の衰退」; stresses decay rather than a drop in numbers.
- Related縮むちぢむNeutralNeutral verb for shrinking in length or volume, and for gaps or lifespans shortening, as in 「差が縮む」.
- Related縮小しゅくしょうWrittenWritten word for scaling something down, as in 「事業を縮小する」; usually a deliberate, planned cutback.
- Related減量げんりょうNeutralNeutral word for losing weight or cutting quantity, especially slimming down, as in 「減量に成功する」.
- Related収縮しゅうしゅくWrittenWritten word for physical contraction, as in 「筋肉の収縮」; typical of physics and physiology.
- Related退潮たいちょうWrittenWritten word for an ebb tide or, figuratively, waning influence; mostly used metaphorically.
- Related衰えるおとろえるNeutralNeutral verb for strength or vigour fading, as in 「体力が衰える」; stresses going from strong to weak.
- Related先細りさきぼそりCasualColloquial word for steadily dwindling away, as in 「先細りの業界」; carries a pessimistic tone about the future.
- Related減殺げんさいWrittenWritten word for diminishing or weakening an effect, as in 「効果を減殺する」.
- Related下向くしたむくCasualColloquial: to bow one's head, or for prices and markets to turn down; mostly economic. In daily speech say 「下がる」.
- Related凋落ちょうらくWrittenWritten, literary word for the fall or withering of a distinguished line, as in 「名門の凋落」; carries a strong sense of decay.
- Antonym増えるふえるNeutralThe direct opposite: to increase in number or amount.
- Antonym増すますWrittenWritten opposite of 「減る」: to grow or intensify, as in 「人気が増す」.
Use 「減る」 for everyday talk about numbers or amounts going down. In written or news style use 「減少」; for falling levels or ability 「低下」, for prices 「下落」 or 「下がる」, for shrinking scale 「縮小」, for weakening powers 「衰える」 or 「衰退」. 「落ち込む」 covers slumps, 「減退」 bodily functions, 「縮む」 shrinkage, 「減量」 weight loss. Opposites: 「増える」 and 「増す」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
- （数や量が）少なくなる。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
