减

• 拼音: jiǎn
• 汉字拆解: 减 = 冫(ice, suggesting reduction) + 咸 (phonetic) — something diminishing like ice melting

含义

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).

例句

1. 这件衣服减了三十块钱。
2. 医生让他减一点工作量。
3. 八减五等于三。

用法指南

语境: math, shopping, everyday

语气: practical

正确说法

• 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.)

错误说法

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

起源与历史

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.

文化背景

世代: All ages

社会背景: Universal