少子(しょうし)

しょうし
noun
having few children; declining birthrate (in compounds)
1. having few children; few children; declining birthrate (in compounds)
少(しょう) (few) + 子(し) (children). Appears almost exclusively as a bound element in compounds such as 少子化(しょうしか) (declining birthrate) and 少子高齢化(しょうしこうれいか) (declining birthrate combined with an aging society).
日本(にほん)は少子(しょうし)化(か)が進(すす)んでいる。
Japan's declining birthrate is advancing.
少子(しょうし)高齢化(こうれいか)は大(おお)きな社会問題(しゃかいもんだい)だ。
The declining birthrate and aging population is a major social problem.
少子(しょうし)対策(たいさく)として、政府(せいふ)は育児支援(いくじしえん)の制度(せいど)を拡充(かくじゅう)している。
As a measure against the declining birthrate, the government is expanding child-care support systems.

Bound combining form rather than a free-standing noun. Almost always appears as a prefix in compounds related to demographics.

COMMON COMPOUNDS:

  • 少子化(しょうしか): declining birthrate
  • 少子(しょうし)高齢化(こうれいか): declining birthrate and aging society
  • 少子(しょうし)対策(たいさく): measures against the declining birthrate
  • 少子(しょうし)社会(しゃかい): a society with few children

Not used as a standalone noun in everyday speech. The verb form 'to have few children' is expressed as 子(こ)どもが少(すく)ない rather than with 少子(しょうし).

Related Words

See also: 少子化(しょうしか) (declining birthrate)
general
Added 2026.6.3 11:08
28500/28618_shoushi