jiǎn

decrease

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Components
氵 meaning component

  Meaning component

shuishuǐ

  

water

is a component form of .

咸 sound component

  Sound component

xián

  

all

Evolution

減 Bronze script Early Spring and Autumn (~700 BC)

Bronze script

Early Spring and Autumn (~700 BC)
減 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
減 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
減 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

() 

jiǎn

decrease, subtract, diminish; to lower; to decrease; to reduce; to subtract; to diminish

Most common words with 減
Freq.
Word
Meaning

减少

to lessen

to lower

减肥

to lose weight

减轻

to lighten

减速

to reduce speed