Japanese Conversation · Level 41
90 words
Japanese word
縮む
Pronunciation
Romajichijimu
Meaning
- verbshrink
Example
この服は洗うと縮みます。ko no fuku wa ara u to chiji mi ma su
This garment shrinks when washed.
More examples
熱いお湯で洗うと、毛糸の服が縮みます。atsu i o yu de ara u to ke ito no fuku ga chiji mi ma su
Wool clothes shrink when washed in hot water.
Core concept
Expresses a change in which an object loses size, length, or volume and becomes smaller than before.
Common phrases
熱で縮むnetsu de chiji mu
shrink from heat
大幅に縮むō haba ni chiji mu
shrink significantly
Similar words
縮まるchijimaru: To become shorter, narrower, or smaller through a physical change.
しぼむshibomu: To lose air, water, or fullness and become smaller or limp.
Definition in Japanese
物の寸法や体積が、もとの状態より小さくなる。mono no sun pō ya tai seki ga mo to no jō tai yo ri chii sa ku na ru
Word origin
縮む (chijimu, "to shrink") is an old native Japanese verb; the written form uses 縮 (shuku, "contract"), a Chinese character chosen for its meaning, while the word itself is Japanese.
Usage tips
- A garment that 縮む (chijimu) after washing is described with an intransitive verb in Japanese, so the garment is the thing that becomes smaller rather than the subject that makes it smaller.