減る
heru[he̞ɾɯ̟]
To decrease in Japanese is 減る (heru). If unsure, use 減る. Wiktionary also lists 減少する (genshō suru).
Meaning: become smaller (verb)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 減る | heru | [he̞ɾɯ̟] (narrow) [me̞ɾɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 減少する | genshō suru |
The word is used to describe a quantity becoming smaller. The form 減る is standard for describing physical quantities such as people, weight or the number of items. The noun form 減少 refers to the amount by which a quantity decreases or is decreased.
Which one should you use?
The verb 減る is an intransitive verb, used when something decreases on its own or is observed to decrease. In contrast, if you want to say you are actively reducing or decreasing a quantity, you should use the transitive verb 減らす.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
減る is an intransitive verb, whereas 減らす is the transitive counterpart meaning to actively reduce or decrease a quantity.
How do you pronounce it?
heru
Did you know?
- The transitive counterpart 減らす (herasu) is frequently used in Japanese cooking instructions to mean 'to reduce the amount of liquid' or 'to simmer down'.
- The concept of 'decreasing' or 'reducing' is often tied to the character 減, which has roots in the idea of cutting or diminishing something's essence.
- The word 減る is often used to describe a feeling of loss or shortage, such as when a person's motivation or energy 'decreases'.
Examples in context
- 今年の売り上げが減少しています。Sales have decreased this year.
- 申し込みが減っていますので、広告を増やしましょう。Since the applications have decreased, let's increase advertisements.
- 最近お客様の数が減ったみたいですね。It seems like the number of customers has decreased recently, doesn't it?
- 体重が減る。Taijuu ga heru.My weight decreases.
- 財布の小銭が減る。Saifu no kozeni ga heru.The change in my wallet decreases.
- 貯金が減るのが怖い。Chokin ga heru no ga kowai.I am afraid of my savings decreasing.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “decrease” translations and entries 減る, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
