衰退・衰頽|すいたいsuitai[0]heiban (flat)
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Which spelling to use
衰退衰退 is the more common kanji-only form and the practical choice for learners’ writing.
衰頽衰頽 is a kanji-only form that is rarely used, so beginners should normally choose 衰退 instead.
Definitions
- noun, suru verb, intransitive verbdecline; degeneration; decay; waning; ebbing
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 衰退する（すいたいする） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 衰退します（すいたいします） |
| Negative (nai) | 衰退しない（すいたいしない） |
| polite (masen) | 衰退しません（すいたいしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 衰退せず・衰退せぬ（すいたいせず・すいたいせぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 衰退した（すいたいした） |
| polite (mashita) | 衰退しました（すいたいしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 衰退しなかった（すいたいしなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 衰退しませんでした（すいたいしませんでした） |
| Te form | 衰退して（すいたいして） |
| Potential | 衰退できる（すいたいできる） |
| Passive | 衰退される（すいたいされる） |
| Causative | 衰退させる（すいたいさせる） |
| Causative passive | 衰退させられる（すいたいさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 衰退すれば（すいたいすれば） |
| tara | 衰退したら（すいたいしたら） |
| Volitional | 衰退しよう（すいたいしよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 衰退しましょう（すいたいしましょう） |
| Imperative | 衰退しろ（すいたいしろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym減退げんたいWrittenWritten/formal prose. For the decline of abilities like appetite or strength, as in 「食欲減退」; 「衰退」 leans toward the decline of industries, nations or power.
- Synonym退廃たいはいWrittenWritten/formal prose. Refers to moral decadence and corruption, as in 「退廃的な雰囲気」; 「衰退」 is about weakening power or vitality.
- Synonym減衰げんすいWrittenWritten/formal prose. A physics term for the gradual attenuation of signals or vibrations; 「衰退」 is about the decline of power or vitality.
- Synonym退潮たいちょうNeutralNeutral. An ebb tide, or the waning of power, as in 「ブームの退潮」; 「衰退」 is about overall weakening.
- Synonym衰えおとろえNeutralNeutral noun for the state of having grown weak, as in 「体の衰え」; 「衰退」 leans toward industries and power.
- Synonym退勢たいせいWrittenWritten/formal prose. Describes the state of one's power or fortunes collapsing in decline, as in 「退勢を挽回する」; 「衰退」 points to the process of decline itself.
- Synonym衰微すいびWrittenWritten/formal prose. The waning of something once flourishing, as in 「国力の衰微」; 「衰退」 is the more common word.
- Synonym凋落ちょうらくWrittenWritten/formal prose. For flowers withering and falling, or decline, as in 「名門の凋落」; 「衰退」 is about weakening power.
- Synonym衰勢すいせいWrittenWritten/formal prose. Points to the downward trend of declining fortunes; 「衰退」 focuses on the process of decline itself.
- Synonym凋残ちょうざんWrittenWritten/formal prose. Describes flowers and plants withering away; 「衰退」 is about the weakening of power or vitality.
- Synonym廃退はいたいWrittenWritten/formal prose. Means falling into decay and disuse; 「衰退」 is about the weakening of power or vitality.
- Synonym式微しきびWrittenWritten/formal prose with a classical flavor. Means extreme decline; 「衰退」 is the more common word.
- Synonym衰耗すいもうWrittenWritten/formal prose. Means growing weak and worn away; 「衰退」 is about the decline of power or fortunes.
- Synonym衰滅すいめつWrittenWritten/formal prose. Decline that ends in ruin and disappearance; 「衰退」 does not necessarily imply dying out.
- Synonym落潮らくちょうNeutralNeutral. A falling tide, or a period of waning momentum, as in 「落潮期」; 「衰退」 is about overall weakening.
- Related低下ていかNeutralNeutral. A drop in level or degree, as in 「学力低下」; 「衰退」 is about the overall weakening of power or vitality.
- Related減少げんしょうNeutralNeutral. A decrease in number or quantity, as in 「人口減少」; 「衰退」 is about weakening power or vitality.
- Related下落げらくNeutralNeutral. A fall in prices or market values, as in 「株価の下落」; 「衰退」 is about the weakening of power or fortunes.
- Related後退こうたいNeutralNeutral. A retreat or backward step, as in 「景気後退」 for an economic slump; 「衰退」 suggests long-term weakening.
- Related減るへるCasualColloquial verb, the most versatile way to say something decreases in number or amount; 「衰退」 is about the decline of power or fortunes.
- Related下り坂くだりざかNeutralNeutral. A downhill slope, or going downhill, as in 「人気が下り坂」; 「衰退」 is the more written word.
- Related衰えるおとろえるNeutralNeutral native verb for growing weak, as in 「体力が衰える」; 「衰退」 is a Sino-Japanese word that leans written and also works as 「衰退する」.
- Related萎靡いびWrittenWritten/formal prose. Means languishing and losing vigor, as in 「萎靡沈滞」; 「衰退」 is about the decline of power or fortunes.
- Antonym発展はってんNeutralAntonym. Development and expansion; the opposite of 「衰退」 in terms of rise and fall.
- Antonym繁栄はんえいNeutralAntonym. Prosperity and flourishing; the opposite of 「衰退」 when speaking of rise and fall.
- Antonym隆盛りゅうせいWrittenAntonym, written/formal prose. Prosperity at its height, as in 「隆盛を極める」; the opposite of 「衰退」 in rise and fall.
Use 「衰退」 for the weakening of industries, nations, abilities and the like, as in 「産業の衰退」; it also works as 「衰退する」. For declining ability pick 「減退」, for moral decadence 「退廃」, and for the everyday native verb 「衰える」. Many alternatives are written words with narrower uses: 「減衰」 for signals, 「衰微」 for things once great, 「式微」 for extreme decline, 「衰滅」 for decline ending in ruin, 「低下」「減少」「下落」 for drops in level, quantity or price. The antonyms are 「発展」, 「繁栄」 and 「隆盛」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
