减少 (jiǎn shǎo) — to lessen; to decrease; to reduce; to lower in Mandarin

jiǎn​ shǎo
“to lessen; to decrease; to reduce; to lower”

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#745 most common word · HSK 4 · CEFR B2

Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.

Tone breakdown

减少 is pronounced jiǎn shǎo. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.

jiǎn
third tone (low dipping, ˇ)
shǎo
third tone (low dipping, ˇ)

In a sentence

Wǒmen xūyào jiǎnshǎo wūrǎn.

We need to reduce pollution.

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Frequently asked questions

What does 减少 mean?+

减少 (jiǎn shǎo) means "to lessen; to decrease; to reduce; to lower" in Mandarin Chinese.

How do you pronounce 减少?+

减少 is pronounced jiǎn shǎo. It uses the tone 3 (rising/dipping). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.

How common is 减少 in Mandarin?+

减少 is the #745 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.

Where 减少 fits

HSK 4 · CEFR B2
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Every HSK 4 word with tone-coloured pinyin and audio.

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Browse more on the Mandarin vocabulary hub, or read how to learn Mandarin tones.