减

• Pinyin: jiǎn
• Hanzi breakdown: 减 = 冫(ice, suggesting reduction) + 咸 (phonetic) — something diminishing like ice melting

Meaning

To reduce; to subtract. Describes making something smaller in quantity, degree, or number.

Used in arithmetic (十减三等于七, ten minus three equals seven) and in everyday contexts meaning to reduce or decrease. Appears in many common compounds: 减少 (reduce), 减肥 (lose weight), 减价 (discount), 减轻 (lighten/alleviate). The opposite of 加 (to add/increase).

Examples

1. 这件衣服减了三十块钱。 This piece of clothing has been reduced by thirty yuan.
2. 医生让他减一点工作量。 The doctor told him to reduce his workload a bit.
3. 八减五等于三。 Eight minus five equals three.

Usage Guide

Context: math, shopping, everyday

Tone: practical

Do Say

• 这个月的开支要减一减。(We need to cut this month's expenses a bit.)
• 老板把价格减了百分之十。(The boss reduced the price by ten percent.)

Don't Say

• 请减掉这个文件 (Don't use 减 for deleting files — use 删除; 减 is for numerical or quantitative reduction)

Origin & History

Composed of 冫(ice radical, suggesting decrease/cold) and 咸 (phonetic element, also meaning salty/all), the ice radical conveys the idea of something diminishing or lessening.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal