Abstract: An image reducing apparatus includes a black-pixel counting section for counting a number of black pixels in an N.times.M-pixel area in an original image represented by white and black levels, where N and M denote predetermined integers equal to or greater than 2; a pattern comparing section for comparing a pixel pattern in the N.times.M-pixel area and an area surrounding the N.times.M-pixel area with predetermined reference patterns; and a level determining section for determining a level of a pixel in a reduction-resultant image in accordance with the black-pixel number counted by the black-pixel counting section and with a result of the pattern comparison by the pattern comparing section, the reduction-resultant image pixel corresponding to the N.times.M-pixel area in the original image.