Chinese word

萎缩

Pronunciation

Pinyinwěi suō

Meaning

  • verbshrink

Example

公司规模开始萎缩。gōng sī guī mó kāi shǐ wěi suō

The company's size began to shrink.

Illustration for 萎缩 (shrink)

More examples

由于人口外流，农村人口逐年萎缩。yóu yú rén kǒu wài liú nóng cūn rén kǒu zhú nián wěi suō

Because of population outflow, the rural population shrinks year by year.

Core concept

Loses inner strength or support, so something contracts, fades, or loses its reach.

Common phrases

  • 经济萎缩jīng jì wěi suō

    economic contraction

  • 人口萎缩rén kǒu wěi suō

    population decline

  • 肌肉萎缩jī ròu wěi suō

    muscle atrophy

  • 市场萎缩shì chǎng wěi suō

    market contraction

Similar words

缩小suō xiǎo: Reduce the size, range, or scope of something.
收缩shōu suō: Become smaller by drawing inward, especially in volume or physical extent.
减少jián shǎo: Decrease the number or amount of something.
衰退shuāi tuì: Become steadily weaker or less active, prosperous, or influential.

Definition in Chinese

因力量、支持或生机减少而在体积、范围或影响上变小或变弱，可指物体收缩，也可指组织、规模、信心等的衰退。yīn lì liàng zhī chí huò shēng jī jián shǎo ér zài tǐ jī fàn wéi huò yíng xiǎng shàng biàn xiǎo huò biàn ruò kě zhǐ wù tǐ shōu suō yě kě zhǐ zǔ zhī guī mó xìn xīn děng de shuāi tuì

Word origin

萎 (wēi, "wither") + 缩 (suō, "contract") forms a verb for losing vitality and becoming smaller or less forceful.

Usage tips

  • English often uses "shrink" mainly for size, but this word also naturally describes a business, market, or confidence that loses strength.

Other meanings

  • witherverb

Opposites

Related words

  • 萎缩症wěi suō zhèngatrophynoun
  • 萎缩性wěi suō xìngatrophicadjective

Word lists with this word