减轻

• Pinyin: jiǎn qīng
• Hanzi breakdown: 减 = 氵(water) + 咸 (salty), meaning to reduce; 轻 = 车 (vehicle) + 巠 (streams), meaning light

Meaning

To lighten; to reduce; to alleviate. Making something less severe or heavy.

Used for reducing weight, burden, pain, or severity. Common in medical, emotional, and practical contexts. Often paired with abstract nouns like 负担 (burden), 压力 (pressure), or 痛苦 (suffering).

Examples

1. 适当的运动可以减轻工作带来的压力。 Moderate exercise can alleviate the stress brought by work.
2. 这种药能有效减轻疼痛，但不能根治疾病。 This medicine can effectively relieve pain but cannot cure the disease.
3. 为了减轻家庭负担，他决定边工作边上学。 To lighten the family's financial burden, he decided to work while going to school.

Usage Guide

Context: health, work, burden, emotions

Tone: supportive

Do Say

• 我想减轻你的负担。(I want to lighten your burden.)
• 深呼吸可以减轻紧张感。(Deep breathing can reduce tension.)

Don't Say

• 减轻这个房间 (减轻 is for weight, burden, or severity, not physical objects — use 清理 for rooms)

Origin & History

Compound of 减 (to reduce) + 轻 (light), meaning to make lighter or less.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal