The Meaning of kezuru [削る] In Japanese

削る
けずる
Romaji: kezuru N5

What does 削る mean?

Translation and Meaning

to shave off, to pare, to trim, to reduce

Definition

削る means to remove material from a surface by shaving or planing; it also describes trimming down or reducing quantities, or cutting away parts, in both physical and figurative contexts.

Type

verb (godan) (五段動詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • to shave off material from a surface, such as wood or ice
  • to pare or trim down to a desired shape or size
  • to reduce quantities, costs, or figures by cutting away parts
  • to smooth rough edges or imperfections on a surface

Composition

  • 削: the core meaning relates to removing material by shaving or cutting away; る: the verb ending that marks a plain non-past form in a godan verb

Usage

Used for both physical actions and abstract reductions. In physical contexts, it covers activities like shaping materials (木を削る, 氷を削る). In abstract contexts, it describes cutting down budgets or numbers (予算を削る, 人件費を削る). It appears in formal prose and everyday conversation; common conjugations include 削る, 削ります, 削った, 削ろう, reflecting aspect and politeness levels.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine a sharp blade sliding along a surface to shave off a thin strip; the kanji visually echoes the action of cutting away, helping recall the meaning of kezuru.

Variations

  • pare down — kezuru
  • shave off — kezuru
  • trim — kezuru
  • reduce (budget/figures) — kezuru

Example Phrases

  • 今日は 出費を 削る ために 予算を 見直した。
    kyou wa shuppi wo kezuru tame ni yosan wo minaoshita.
    Today I reviewed my budget to cut expenses.
    Lista:
    • 今日は (Kyou wa) – today
    • 出費を (Shuppi wo) – expenses
    • 削る (Kezuru) – to cut down
    • ために (Tame ni) – in order to
    • 予算を (Yosan wo) – budget
    • 見直した (Minaoshita) – revised
    In this sentence, 「削る」 is used transitively to mean ‘to cut back/trim’; the phrase 「出費を削るために」 expresses purpose: ‘in order to cut expenses’.
削る