減 meaning and stroke order
To decrease, to subtract, to diminish
How to write 減, stroke by stroke
12 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 減
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to lower
- to decrease
- to reduce
- to subtract
- to diminish
How 減 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Water.
氵 gives the meaning and 咸 hints at the sound.
Radical: 氵 (water), shared by 467 characters on this site.
How to remember 減
減 is water 氵 on the left plus 咸 (xián) on the right, which gives the sound. Picture water levels dropping, so the amount decreases.
減 means to reduce or subtract, and it appears in many everyday words like 減少 (jiǎnshǎo, to decrease) and 減肥 (jiǎnféi, to lose weight). In math it means minus: 十減三等於七 (shí jiǎn sān děngyú qī) means ten minus three equals seven.
Common mistake: Learners often write the simplified form 减 with three water dots when using traditional script, or mix the two scripts. 減 uses 氵 (three dots), while simplified 减 uses 冫 (two dots). Also keep the third tone jiǎn, and do not confuse it with 咸 (xián, salty).
Common words with 減
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 減少 | jiǎnshǎo | to lessen; to decrease; to reduce; to lower | HSK 4 |
| 減肥 | jiǎnféi | to lose weight | HSK 4 |
| 減輕 | jiǎnqīng | to lighten; to ease | HSK 5 |
| 減速 | jiǎnsù | to reduce speed; to slow down | HSK 7-9 |
| 減弱 | jiǎnruò | to weaken; to diminish | HSK 7-9 |
| 減壓 | jiǎnyā | to reduce pressure; to relax | HSK 7-9 |
| 減免 | jiǎnmiǎn | to reduce or waive (taxes, punishment, rent, tuition etc) | HSK 7-9 |
| 衰減 | shuāijiǎn | to weaken; to attenuate | HSK 7-9 |
| 削減 | xuējiǎn | to cut down; to reduce | |
| 減刑 | jiǎnxíng | to reduce penalty; shortened or commuted (judicial) sentence | |
| 減慢 | jiǎnmàn | to slow down | |
| 減緩 | jiǎnhuǎn | to slow down; to retard | |
| 減去 | jiǎnqù | minus; to subtract | |
| 縮減 | suōjiǎn | to cut; to reduce |
Questions about 減
How many strokes are in 減?
減 is written with 12 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 減 mean?
減 (jiǎn) means to decrease, to subtract, to diminish. A common word with it is 减少 (jiǎnshǎo), meaning "to lessen; to decrease; to reduce; to lower".
How do you pronounce 減?
減 is pronounced jiǎn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 減?
The radical of 減 is 氵, which carries the idea of "water". Dictionaries list 減 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 減?
減 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 减, used in mainland China and Singapore.
How do you say plus and minus in Chinese math?
Plus is 加 (jiā) and minus is 減 (jiǎn). For example, 五加二 (wǔ jiā èr) is five plus two, and 五減二 (wǔ jiǎn èr) is five minus two.
What is the difference between 減少 and 減輕?
減少 (jiǎnshǎo) means to reduce a number or amount, such as people or costs. 減輕 (jiǎnqīng) means to lighten or ease something like a burden, pain, or pressure.