縮小|しゅくしょうshukushou[0]heiban (flat)

1. noun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbreduction; curtailment; cut; cutback; scaling down; contraction; shrinkage
   縮小しゅくしょうコピーを撮とってくるよ。↗

   I'm going to make reduced copies.

• Synonym縮減しゅくげんWrittenWritten/formal prose for reducing scale or amount; works for both reducing and being reduced. 「縮小」 focuses on making an overall scale or size smaller.
• SynonymカットNeutralLoanword for cutting or trimming, as in 「コストカット」「賃金カット」; leans colloquial. 「縮小」 is more written and usually speaks of scale.
• Synonym縮めるちぢめるNeutralNative transitive for shortening or contracting, as in 「距離を縮める」. More colloquial than 「縮小」, and mostly about length or distance.
• Synonym減額げんがくWrittenReducing an amount, used mainly for money, as in 「予算の減額」. 「縮小」 speaks of scale or scope and is not limited to sums of money.
• Synonym縮むちぢむNeutralNative intransitive for shrinking or contracting, such as clothes shrinking in the wash. 「縮小」 leans written and speaks of scale or scope.
• Related減少げんしょうNeutralA decrease in quantity, whether natural or deliberate, as in 「人口減少」. 「縮小」 is about scale or scope getting smaller, not numbers alone.
• Related低減ていげんWrittenLowers a numerical value or degree, as with cost or risk. 「縮小」 instead centers on scale or scope becoming smaller.
• Related削減さくげんNeutralDeliberately cutting budgets, staff, or expenses, as in 「経費削減」. 「縮小」 centers on an overall scale or scope getting smaller.
• Related減らすへらすNeutralEveryday native verb for reducing an amount; the most common choice in daily speech. 「縮小」 leans written and speaks of scale or size.
• Related漸減ぜんげんWrittenWritten word for a gradual decrease, stressing a slow, steady decline. 「縮小」 carries no sense of gradualness and can happen all at once.
• Related引き下げひきさげNeutralLowering prices, tax rates, or interest rates, as in 「金利引き下げ」. 「縮小」 is about scale or scope becoming smaller.
• Related低下ていかNeutralIntransitive: a fall in ability, quality, or level, as in 「体力の低下」. 「縮小」 concerns scale or scope, not quality or level.
• Related短縮たんしゅくNeutralShortening time, distance, or words, as in 「時間短縮」. 「縮小」 centers on area or overall scale getting smaller.
• Related軽減けいげんNeutralEasing a burden or pain, as in 「負担軽減」. 「縮小」 speaks of scale or scope shrinking and is not used for lightening burdens.
• Related減るへるNeutralEveryday native intransitive for a quantity going down. 「縮小」 leans written and speaks of scale or scope getting smaller.
• Related削るけずるNeutralLiterally to shave or sharpen; also to cut budgets or text, as in 「予算を削る」. 「縮小」 is overall shrinking, not removing a part.
• Related先細りさきぼそりNeutralFor momentum gradually withering or prospects fading, as in 「市場が先細りする」; carries a pessimistic tone. 「縮小」 only says smaller, no such overtone.
• Related減ずるげんずるWrittenWritten verb with a literary flavor for decreasing or cutting down. 「縮小」 is a noun that also works as a する-verb and centers on scale becoming smaller.
• Related減じるげんじるWrittenAnother form of 「減ずる」: a written verb usable for quantity, degree, or scale. In everyday speech, 「縮小」 is the usual choice for scale shrinking.
• RelatedそぐNeutralLiterally to chip off or sharpen, by extension to sap drive, as in 「意欲を削ぐ」. 「縮小」 says a scale, scope, or gap is getting smaller.
• Antonym拡大かくだいNeutralAntonym: to enlarge or magnify. It is the direct opposite of 「縮小」 for scale, scope, and images, as in 「事業拡大」「拡大コピー」.
• Antonym増大ぞうだいWrittenWritten word for quantity or degree growing, as in 「負担が増大する」. It opposes 「縮小」 in the sense of scale getting larger.

Use 「縮小」 when a scale, scope, or image gets smaller. For a drop in numbers say 「減少」, for cutting budgets or staff 「削減」, for shortening time 「短縮」, and for easing burdens 「軽減」. Everyday speech prefers native verbs like 「減らす」「減る」「縮む」; written prose offers 「縮減」「低減」「減額」 and the literary 「減ずる」「減じる」. The antonym is 「拡大」.

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

1. 小ちいさくすること。