縮む|ちぢむchijimu[0]heiban (flat)

JLPT N2approx.Common
ちじむchijimu
Definitions
  1. godan verb, intransitive verbto shrink; to contract; to diminish (in size)
    セーターが洗濯せんたくで縮ちぢんだ。↗
    My sweater shrank in the wash.
Conjugation
Dictionary form縮む(ちぢむ)
Polite (masu)縮みます(ちぢみます)
Negative (nai)縮まない(ちぢまない)
polite (masen)縮みません(ちぢみません)
classical zu / nu縮まず・縮まぬ(ちぢまず・ちぢまぬ)
Past (ta)縮んだ(ちぢんだ)
polite (mashita)縮みました(ちぢみました)
Past negative (nakatta)縮まなかった(ちぢまなかった)
polite (masen deshita)縮みませんでした(ちぢみませんでした)
Te form縮んで(ちぢんで)
Potential縮める(ちぢめる)
Passive縮まれる(ちぢまれる)
Causative縮ませる(ちぢませる)
Causative passive縮ませられる・縮まされる(ちぢませられる・ちぢまされる)
Conditional (ba)縮めば(ちぢめば)
tara縮んだら(ちぢんだら)
Volitional縮もう(ちぢもう)
polite (mashou)縮みましょう(ちぢみましょう)
Imperative縮め(ちぢめ)

Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.

Transitive / intransitive pair
intransitive縮むちぢむ⇄transitive縮めるちぢめる
セーターが縮ちぢむ
縮む describes something shrinking or contracting by itself, as in セーターが縮む (the sweater shrinks). 縮める means to actively shorten or reduce something, as in 寿命を縮める (to shorten one's lifespan).

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

Synonyms & antonyms
  • Synonym縮小しゅくしょうWrittenNoun for reducing scale or scope, as in 「事業縮小」; leans formal. 「縮む」 is about physical shrinking of things like fabric.
  • Synonym収縮しゅうしゅくWrittenWritten/formal noun for contraction of muscles, blood vessels and the like; leans medical or scientific in flavor.
  • Synonym縮まるちぢまるNeutralCovers size, time, distance or gaps getting shorter, as in 「差が縮まる」「寿命が縮まる」. Largely interchangeable with 「縮む」, which is the usual word for fabric shrinking.
  • SynonymすぼむNeutralFor openings narrowing or closing up — pockets, flowers and the like; the focus is on an aperture drawing shut, not overall shrinking.
  • Related減るへるNeutralFor quantities decreasing, as in 「体重が減る」; it is about amount or number going down, not size shrinking.
  • Related減少げんしょうWrittenFormal noun for a decrease in numbers, as in 「人口減少」; leans formal.
  • Related漸減ぜんげんWrittenWritten/formal noun for a gradual, bit-by-bit decrease; 「縮む」 instead centers on size contracting.
  • Related先細りさきぼそりNeutralNoun for tapering ever thinner or steadily dwindling away, as in 「先細りの業界」.
  • Antonym伸びるのびるNeutralAntonym: to stretch, lengthen or extend — the opposite of 「縮む」 contracting.
  • Antonym膨らむふくらむNeutralAntonym: to swell or inflate, as in 「風船が膨らむ」 — the opposite of shrinking.

Use 「縮む」 for things shrinking — fabric, the body, etc., as in 「セーターが縮む」. 「縮まる」 also covers sizes and gaps shortening; 「縮小」 is for scaling down; 「減る」 for numbers dropping; 「伸びる」 for stretching.

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

Japanese definitions
  1. 短みじかくなる。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also

JLPT vocabulary levels are community estimates, not official (no official lists have been published since the 2010 revision).

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