Chinese word

缩

Pronunciation

Pinyinsuō

Meaning

  • verbshrink

Example

这件衣服洗了会缩。zhè jiàn yī fú xǐ le huì suō

This item of clothing will shrink when washed.

Illustration for 缩 (shrink)

More examples

为了按期完成，我们决定缩短项目周期。wèi le àn qī wán chéng wǒ men jué dìng suō duǎn xiàng mù zhōu qī

To finish on schedule, we decided to shorten the project timeline.

Core concept

Something retreats from its outer edge toward a tighter limit, whether it is material, abstract, or bodily.

Common phrases

  • 缩小suō xiǎo

    make smaller

  • 缩短suō duǎn

    shorten

  • 缩水suō shuǐ

    shrink

Similar words

收缩shōu suō: Become shorter or smaller because material or tissue contracts inward.
缩小suō xiǎo: Reduce the size or extent of something by making it smaller.

Definition in Chinese

使某物变小或变短，既可指物体在物理上收缩，也可指数量、规模、范围或时间等在程度上的减少。shǐ mǒu wù biàn xiǎo huò biàn duǎn jì kě zhǐ wù tǐ zài wù lǐ shàng shōu suō yě kě zhǐ shù liàng guī mó fàn wéi huò shí jiān děng zài chéng dù shàng de jián shǎo

Word origin

The thread radical in 缩 (suō, "shrink") reflects an early connection with cloth or fibers becoming shorter, and this physical idea later broadened to plans, periods, amounts, and retreat.

Usage tips

  • When the reduced thing is a period, distance, or plan, Chinese keeps this same verb where English often chooses different verbs, so the surrounding noun carries much of the meaning.

Other meanings

  • make smallerverb
  • contractverb
  • draw backverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word