削る

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 削る is read as けずる and is a transitive verb for shaving material away or reducing an amount, cost, or time.
• Basic usage: A physical object appears in 鉛筆を削る, while a budget appears in 費用を削る.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Physical and figurative senses
  • A pencil is literally shaved, whereas a cost is figuratively cut by removing part of it.
• Difference from 減らす
  • 減らす is the general verb for reducing; 削る suggests cutting away or trimming a portion.