decreasing
decreasing — 形容詞
1. becoming smaller, fewer, or lower at each step — used about a sequence, trend, o
遞減的
依序逐漸變少的
becoming smaller, fewer, or lower at each step — used about a sequence, trend, or quantity that consistently goes down
The chart shows a decreasing number of visitors every year since the museum raised its ticket price.
圖表顯示，自從博物館調高票價後，每年參觀人數遞減。
decreasing + noun phrase for progressive decline
In a decreasing sequence, the fourth number must be smaller than the third.
在一個遞減數列中，第四個數字一定比第三個小。
Sales have followed a decreasing trend for the past six months, which worries the management.
過去六個月的銷售額呈現遞減趨勢，管理階層對此感到擔憂。
Noor sorted the prices in decreasing order from the most expensive item to the cheapest.
Noor 按照價格從高到低的遞減順序來排列商品。
The decreasing water level in the lake made it hard for the fishermen to launch their boats.
湖水水位持續遞減，漁民難以將船駛出湖面。
- increasing
the direct opposite; becoming larger or more numerous
文法句型
decreasing + noun
be + decreasing
常見錯誤
decreasing — 動詞
1. to become fewer, smaller, or weaker in amount, level, or strength — used without
減少；下降
數量或程度自行變小
to become fewer, smaller, or weaker in amount, level, or strength — used without a direct object when something goes down on its own
The number of students choosing to study languages has decreased sharply over the last decade.
選擇修讀語言的學生人數在過去十年間大幅下降。
decrease + adverb of degree (sharply)
As the medicine began to work, the pain in Clara's lower back decreased noticeably.
藥物開始發揮作用後，Clara 的下背疼痛明顯減輕了。
Rainfall in northern Kenya has been decreasing for several years, putting farms at risk.
肯亞北部的降雨量連續數年遞減，農田面臨危機。
When the temperature decreases at night, the desert can become surprisingly cold.
夜間氣溫下降時，沙漠的溫度可能會低得驚人。
The company's expenses decreased after management moved to a smaller office building.
管理階層搬進較小的辦公室後，公司的開支減少了。
- increase
to become greater in number, amount, or degree
文法句型
[thing] + decreases
[thing] + decreases + adverb
[thing] + decreases + in + [aspect]
用法筆記
Subject is usually a measurable quantity (population, sales, temperature, speed) or a feeling (pain, interest, support). Never takes a direct object in this sense.
常見錯誤
2. to intentionally make something smaller, fewer, or lower — used with a direct ob
降低；縮減
刻意使數量變小
to intentionally make something smaller, fewer, or lower — used with a direct object when a person or organization causes the change
The hospital decreased its daily water usage by installing low-flow taps in every ward.
醫院在每個病房安裝節水龍頭，將每日用水量降低了。
decrease + noun + by + amount — measuring the reduction
To cut costs, the factory manager decreased overtime hours for most of the production team.
為了節省成本，工廠經理縮減了大部分生產線人員的加班時數。
When the patient's blood pressure stayed high, the doctor decreased the dose of the medication.
當病人的血壓居高不下時，醫生調低了藥物的劑量。
Farmers in the valley have decreased their use of chemical fertilisers to protect the nearby river.
山谷裡的農民為了保護附近的河川，已經減少了化學肥料的使用量。
The airline decreased the number of flights between Taipei and Osaka due to lower demand.
由於需求降低，這家航空公司縮減了臺北與大阪之間的航班數量。
文法句型
[person/organization] + decreases + [noun]
be + decreased + [prepositional phrase]
用法筆記
Subject is typically a person, company, government, or other agent that can make a deliberate decision. The object is something controllable: spending, speed, dosage, production. Compare with sense 1, where no agent is involved and the subject undergoes the change.
常見錯誤
decreasing — 名詞
1. the process or fact of becoming gradually fewer, smaller, or weaker — the genera
遞減；減少
數量逐漸變小的過程
the process or fact of becoming gradually fewer, smaller, or weaker — the general idea that something is going down
Scientists are closely monitoring the decrease of polar ice in the Arctic region.
科學家正密切監測北極地區的冰層減少現象。
decrease + of + [thing being reduced]
A sudden decrease in temperature caused the water pipes in the old house to freeze.
氣溫突然驟降，導致老房子裡的水管結冰。
decrease + in + [aspect]
The steady decrease in unemployment over the past year has boosted consumer confidence.
過去一年失業率持續下降，提升了消費者信心。
Lily has noticed a slow decrease in her grandmother's appetite since the winter began.
Lily 注意到入冬以來祖母的食慾逐漸減退。
The decrease in the quality of tap water led many families to buy bottled water instead.
自來水水質下降，導致許多家庭改買瓶裝水。
文法句型
[a/the] decrease + in + [noun]
steady/gradual/sharp + decrease
用法筆記
Often preceded by an adjective (steady, gradual, sharp, dramatic) to describe the pace or scale of the reduction. Typically followed by 'in' plus the thing being reduced.
常見錯誤
2. the specific amount, number, or percentage by which something has become smaller
減幅；減少量
具體減少的數額
the specific amount, number, or percentage by which something has become smaller or fewer
The company reported a decrease of fifteen percent in its annual profits for 2023.
該公司報告稱，2023 年年度利潤減少了百分之十五。
decrease + of + percentage
This year's decrease in rainfall was the largest recorded in over fifty years of measurements.
今年的降雨減幅是五十年來有紀錄以來最大的。
A decrease of nearly three hundred students forced the school district to close two elementary schools.
學生人數減少將近三百人，迫使學區關閉了兩所小學。
The new LED lights produced a decrease of about forty dollars in the monthly electricity bill.
新的 LED 燈具讓每月電費減少了約四十美元。
A decrease of just two percent in production costs would save the factory over a million dollars each year.
生產成本只要降低兩個百分點，就能為該工廠每年節省超過一百萬美元。
文法句型
a decrease + of + [number/percentage]
decrease of 10%/50/$X
用法筆記
Unlike sense 1, this sense always specifies a concrete amount or percentage — look for 'decrease of' followed by a number. It answers the question 'how much smaller?'