# 衰 — decline; weaken

衰 means “decline; weaken”. It is a JLPT N1 kanji written with 10 strokes. On'yomi: スイ (sui). Kun'yomi: おとろ(える) (otoroeru). You'll see it in words such as 衰える (otoroeru, “to become weak; to decline”).

- Meaning: decline; weaken
- On'yomi: スイ (sui)
- Kun'yomi: おとろ(える) (otoroeru)
- Strokes: 10
- Level: JLPT N1 · set Change & making

## How to remember 衰

Parts: 衣 garment · 口 mouth; box

## Words with 衰

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 衰える | おとろえる (otoroeru) | to become weak; to decline |
| 衰え | おとろえ (otoroe) | weakening; emaciation |

## Don't confuse it with

[喪](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/mourning/) · [裏](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/back-side/) · [依](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/depend-on/) · [哀](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/pity/)

## More in the “Change & making” set

[融](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/fuse/) · [廃](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/abolish/) · [創](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/originate/) · [縮](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/shrink/) · [衰](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/decline/) · [翻](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/turn-over/) · [凝](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/congeal/) · [矯](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/straighten/)

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From Moji Ninja (https://moji.ninja/), a free app for learning hiragana, katakana and the JLPT kanji from N5 to N1 with spaced repetition. Page: https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/decline/. Last updated 2026-11-01.