Word
下げる
Meaning in Englishlower, reduce, hang
Animated kanji stroke order
Word context
What it means
What does 下げる mean? It means to make something lower or to reduce it; a transitive verb applied to a wide range of objects, from physical height to quantities or even mood, depending on context. It describes the action of pushing something downward or decreasing its level.
Main meanings
- Physical lowering of height or position of an object
- Reduction of quantity or value such as price, level, or score
- Lowering someone's mood or spirits in expressions like 気分を下げる
- Metaphorical lowering of status or prominence in certain contexts
How to use it
Used as a transitive verb with を to mark the object being lowered. The plain form 下げる is common in casual speech; polite form 下げます is used in formal contexts; negative 下げない; past 下げた; te-form 下げて for connecting clauses.
Variants and close terms
- 減らす (へらす) — reduce
- 下ろす (おろす) — lower by taking down
- 落とす (おとす) — drop, let fall
Composition
- 下: down, below; げる is the okurigana; together they form a verb meaning to make something go down or decrease
Word class
Verb (ichidan)
Related words by kanji and components
N1
真下
mashita
right under, directly below
N1
落下
rakka
fall, drop, come down
N1
引下げる
hikisageru
to pull down, to lower, to reduce, to withdraw
N2
目下
mokka
at present, now
N2
～下
～ka
under ~
N2
下降
kakou
decline, descent, fall
N2
下線
kasen
underline, underscore
N2
下車
gesha
alighting, getting off
N2
下旬
gejun
month (last third of)