縮める|ちぢめるchijimeru[0]heiban (flat)
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Definitions
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto shorten; to reduce; to condense; to shrink
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto crumple (fabric); to wrinkle
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto make (one's body) smaller; to draw in (one's legs); to duck (one's head)
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 縮める（ちぢめる） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 縮めます（ちぢめます） |
| Negative (nai) | 縮めない（ちぢめない） |
| polite (masen) | 縮めません（ちぢめません） |
| classical zu / nu | 縮めず・縮めぬ（ちぢめず・ちぢめぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 縮めた（ちぢめた） |
| polite (mashita) | 縮めました（ちぢめました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 縮めなかった（ちぢめなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 縮めませんでした（ちぢめませんでした） |
| Te form | 縮めて（ちぢめて） |
| Potential | 縮められる（ちぢめられる） |
| Passive | 縮められる（ちぢめられる） |
| Causative | 縮めさせる（ちぢめさせる） |
| Causative passive | 縮めさせられる（ちぢめさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 縮めれば（ちぢめれば） |
| tara | 縮めたら（ちぢめたら） |
| Volitional | 縮めよう（ちぢめよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 縮めましょう（ちぢめましょう） |
| Imperative | 縮めろ（ちぢめろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Transitive / intransitive pair
差を縮める
縮まる describes a gap or distance narrowing on its own, while 縮める means to actively narrow a gap or difference.
寿命を縮める
縮む often indicates physical shrinkage, as with a sweater, whereas 縮める can shorten something abstract like a lifespan.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym短縮たんしゅくWrittenA noun for shortening time or distance, as in 「短縮営業」; leans formal. 「縮める」 is a verb and is also common in everyday speech.
- Synonym詰めるつめるNeutralCovers stuffing things in tightly, and also shortening a gap or interval, as in 「間を詰める」.
- Synonym縮小しゅくしょうWrittenA noun for shrinking something in scale, as in 「縮小コピー」; leans formal.
- Synonym端折るはしょるCasualColloquial for omitting or skipping part of the content, as in 「話を端折る」.
- Related切り上げるきりあげるNeutralUsed for ending work or a gathering early, or for rounding numbers up; the focus is on wrapping things up.
- RelatedつづめるWrittenWritten-style word for condensing or streamlining, such as the key points of a text; rarely used today.
- Antonym伸ばすのばすNeutralTo lengthen or stretch something out; the opposite of 「縮める」 in its shortening sense.
- Antonym広げるひろげるNeutralTo spread something out or enlarge its area, as in 「地図を広げる」; the opposite of shrinking.
- Antonym長くするNeutralA plain phrase for making something longer; the most direct way to say it, opposite of 「縮める」.
Use 「縮める」 to shorten time or distance or to hunch up your body, as in 「首を縮める」 and 「時間を縮める」. For the noun, say 「短縮」; for cutting something's scale, 「縮小」; for skipping content, 「端折る」. To lengthen, use 「伸ばす」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
- 何かを短くする。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
