减 meaning and stroke order
To lower; to decrease; to reduce
How to write 减, stroke by stroke
11 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 减
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to lower
- to decrease
- to reduce
- to subtract
- to diminish
How 减 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Ice.
冫 gives the meaning and 咸 hints at the sound.
Radical: 冫 (ice), shared by 26 characters on this site.
How to remember 减
减 is built from 冫 (ice) on the left and 咸 (xián) on the right, which hints at the sound. Picture a block of ice melting and getting smaller, so the amount decreases.
减 means to reduce or subtract, and it appears in many everyday words like 减少 (jiǎnshǎo, to decrease) and 减肥 (jiǎnféi, to lose weight). In math it is the word for minus. Example: 十减三等于七。(Shí jiǎn sān děngyú qī.) Ten minus three equals seven.
Common mistake: Learners often write the left side with three dots like 氵 (water), which gives the traditional-looking 減. In simplified Chinese 减 uses only two dots, 冫. Also keep the third tone in jiǎn and do not confuse it with 剪 (jiǎn, to cut with scissors).
Common words with 减
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 减少 | jiǎnshǎo | to lessen; to decrease; to reduce; to lower | HSK 4 |
| 减肥 | jiǎnféi | to lose weight | HSK 4 |
| 减轻 | jiǎnqīng | to lighten; to ease | HSK 5 |
| 减速 | jiǎnsù | to reduce speed; to slow down | HSK 7-9 |
| 减弱 | jiǎnruò | to weaken; to diminish | HSK 7-9 |
| 减压 | jiǎnyā | to reduce pressure; to relax | HSK 7-9 |
| 减免 | jiǎnmiǎn | to reduce or waive (taxes, punishment, rent, tuition etc) | HSK 7-9 |
| 衰减 | shuāijiǎn | to weaken; to attenuate | HSK 7-9 |
| 削减 | xuējiǎn | to cut down; to reduce | |
| 减刑 | jiǎnxíng | to reduce penalty; shortened or commuted (judicial) sentence | |
| 减慢 | jiǎnmàn | to slow down | |
| 减缓 | jiǎnhuǎn | to slow down; to retard | |
| 减去 | jiǎnqù | minus; to subtract | |
| 缩减 | suōjiǎn | to cut; to reduce |
减 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 减
How many strokes are in 减?
减 is written with 11 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 减 mean?
减 (jiǎn) means to lower; to decrease; to reduce. A common word with it is 减少 (jiǎnshǎo), meaning "to lessen; to decrease; to reduce; to lower".
How do you pronounce 减?
减 is pronounced jiǎn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 减?
The radical of 减 is 冫, which carries the idea of "ice". Dictionaries list 减 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 减?
The traditional form of 减 is 減. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 减 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 减 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 减 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
What is the difference between 减 and 少?
少 (shǎo) describes a small amount or means few. 减 is an action that makes something smaller. They often combine as 减少 (jiǎnshǎo), meaning to reduce.
How do you say plus and minus in Chinese?
Plus is 加 (jiā) and minus is 减 (jiǎn). For example, 五加二 (wǔ jiā èr) is five plus two, and 五减二 (wǔ jiǎn èr) is five minus two.