91
減
Decrease, Reduce
へ.る, へ.らす
JLPT N2
Interesting Fact
Japan's population has been decreasing for many years. News reports frequently use the word 人口減少 (jinkō genshō), meaning 'population decline,' making 減 a very common kanji in newspapers.
Memory Trick
Imagine water (氵) slowly draining from a bucket until there's less and less left. Watching it shrink helps you remember 減 means 'to decrease' or 'to reduce.'
Readings
Onyomi: ゲン (gen)
Kunyomi: へ.る, へ.らす
Example Words
減る
へる (heru)
To decrease
減らす
へらす (herasu)
To reduce
減少
げんしょう (genshou)
Decrease
削減
さくげん (sakugen)
Reduction
Example Sentence
ゴミ を 減らす 努力 を しています。
ゴミ を へらす どりょく を しています。
gomi o herasu doryoku o shiteimasu
I am making an effort to reduce waste.