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退缩 (tuì suō) — Chinese word meaning

HSK 7

退缩 (tuì suō) is a Chinese word: to shrink back, to flinch, to cower. This page shows its pinyin, translation, example sentences, character breakdown, decomposition, and HSK level.

Meaning of 退缩

动 dòng verb

to shrink back, to flinch, to cower

面对困难时，我们不应该退缩。

miàn duì kùn nan shí wǒ men bù yīng gāi tuì suō

When facing difficulties, we should not shrink back.

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Word breakdown

退 tuì — withdraw, retreat, move back

Words with this character (16)
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缩 suō — shrink, contract, draw back

Words with this character (13)
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  • 6 浓缩 nóng suō — concentrate HSK 7
    • 浓 thick, concentrated
    • 缩 shrink, reduce
    Example

    他把整本书的内容浓缩成一页纸。

    tā bǎ zhěng běn shū de nèi róng nóng suō chéng yī yè zhǐ

    He condensed the entire book's content into one page.

  • 7 畏缩 wèi suō — to cower, to flinch, to shrink back HSK 7
    • 畏 fear, dread
    • 缩 shrink, withdraw
    Example

    不要畏缩，勇敢地面对困难。

    bù yào wèi suō yǒng gǎn de miàn duì kùn nan

    Don't cower, face difficulties bravely.

  • 8 紧缩 jǐn suō — tighten; contract; cut back HSK 7
    • 紧 tight; tense (emphasizes tightening/restricting)
    • 缩 shrink; contract (emphasizes reduction/contraction)
    Example

    政府决定紧缩财政支出。

    zhèng fǔ jué dìng jǐn suō cái zhèng zhī chū

    The government decided to tighten fiscal spending.

  • 9 缩减 suō jiǎn — reduce HSK 7
    • 缩 shrink, contract
    • 减 decrease, subtract
    Example

    公司决定缩减开支。

    gōng sī jué dìng suō jiǎn kāi zhī

    The company decided to reduce expenses.

  • 10 缩影 suō yǐng — microcosm HSK 7
    • 缩 reduced, condensed
    • 影 image, representation
    Example

    这个小镇是现代中国的缩影。

    zhè ge xiǎo zhèn shì xiàn dài zhōng guó de suō yǐng

    This small town is a microcosm of modern China.

  • 11 缩水 suō shuǐ — to shrink HSK 7
    • 缩 to shrink, to contract
    • 水 water (indicating shrinkage from washing)
    Example

    这件毛衣洗了之后缩水了。

    zhè jiàn máo yī xǐ le zhī hòu suō shuǐ le

    This sweater shrank after washing.

  • 12 节衣缩食 jié yī suō shí — live frugally HSK 7
    • 节 economize, reduce
    • 衣 clothing
    • 缩 reduce, cut back
    • 食 food
    Example

    为了供孩子上大学，父母节衣缩食多年。

    wèi le gōng hái zi shàng dà xué fù mǔ jié yī suō shí duō nián

    In order to support their child through university, the parents lived frugally for many years.

  • 13 萎缩 wěi suō — to atrophy; to shrink; to wither HSK 7
    • 萎 to wither, wilt, droop (conveys the weakening aspect)
    • 缩 to shrink, contract, reduce (conveys the physical reduction aspect)
    Example

    由于缺乏运动，他的肌肉开始萎缩。

    yóu yú quē fá yùn dòng tā de jī ròu kāi shǐ wěi suō

    Due to lack of exercise, his muscles began to atrophy.

Structure & writing
1 退 tuì — to move backward (opposite of 进)
退 is a component in 1 characters
HSK 3
腿 tuǐ leg (of a person or animal)

consists of

1.1 辶 chuò — walk/movement radical, indicating motion or walking
辶 is a component in 68 characters
HSK 1
边 biān border between countries or regions 还 huán to return to the original place or state 这 zhè this (person or thing nearby, as opposed to 那) 道 dào road; path; passage
HSK 2
过 guò to move from one place or party to another 运 yùn to rotate; to move in sequence 近 jìn near, close (in space or time; opposite of 远) 进 jìn to move forward (opposite of 退) 远 yuǎn far; distant (in space or time, opposite of 近)
Show more HSK 2 characters (+1)
送 sòng to deliver or bring something to someone
HSK 3
迎 yíng to welcome; to greet 迟 chí slow, sluggish 适 shì (lit.) to go; to travel to 选 xuǎn to choose; to select; to pick 遇 yù to meet, encounter, come across
Show more HSK 3 characters (+1)
遍 biàn universal, widespread
HSK 4
达 dá to go through; to reach 连 lián to connect, to link 迷 mí unable to distinguish; lost the ability to discern or judge 递 dì to deliver; to pass on 通 tōng unobstructed; able to pass through
Show more HSK 4 characters (+4)
逛 guàng to stroll; to wander; to roam around 速 sù fast; swift; rapid 邀 yāo to invite 随 suí to follow
HSK 5
迅 xùn extremely fast; swift 返 fǎn to return, to go back 违 wéi to disobey; to violate 述 shù to narrate; to state; to recount 迹 jì trace; mark left behind
Show more HSK 5 characters (+9)
追 zhuī to chase; to catch up with 退 tuì to move backward (opposite of 进) 逐 zhú to chase, to pursue 途 tú road; path 造 zào to make; to manufacture 逻 luó to patrol; to make rounds 遗 yí to omit or lose due to carelessness 遵 zūn (lit.) to follow; along 避 bì to avoid; to evade
HSK 6
迈 mài to stride; to step over 迫 pò to compel; to force 逃 táo to flee; to escape from an unfavorable situation 透 tòu (of liquid, light, etc.) to seep through; to penetrate 逗 dòu to tease; to provoke
Show more HSK 6 characters (+3)
逼 bī to coerce; to threaten 遥 yáo far; distant 遭 zāo to encounter (misfortune or adversity)
HSK 7
巡 xún to patrol; to make rounds of inspection 辽 liáo distant; far 迁 qiān to move, relocate (an office, residence, etc.) 迄 qì to reach; up to 迪 dí (lit.) to enlighten; to guide
Show more HSK 7 characters (+16)
迭 dié to alternate; to take turns 迸 bèng to spurt out; to splash outward 逆 nì to go in the opposite direction (opposite of 顺) 逊 xùn to abdicate (the throne) 逝 shì to pass; to vanish (esp. of time or flowing water) 逞 chěng show off (one's talent, power, etc.); boast 逢 féng to encounter; to meet 逮 dài (lit.) to reach; to arrive at 逸 yì comfortable and at ease; leisurely 逾 yú to exceed; to surpass 遏 è to stop; to suppress; to restrain 遛 liù to stroll, walk slowly and leisurely 遣 qiǎn to dispatch; to send 遮 zhē to block from view; to obscure 邃 suì deep and distant (of time or space) 隧 suì tunnel; underground or mountain passage
1.2 艮 gèn — one of the eight trigrams, representing mountain
艮 is a component in 14 characters
HSK 1
很 hěn very; quite
HSK 2
眼 yǎn eye (visual organ of humans and animals) 跟 gēn heel (of the foot or shoe/sock)
HSK 3
根 gēn root (organ of a higher plant that anchors it and absorbs water and nutrients; taproots and fibrous roots) 银 yín silver (metallic element, symbol Ag, atomic number 47)
HSK 5
良 liáng good; excellent 艰 jiān difficult; not easy 退 tuì to move backward (opposite of 进) 限 xiàn specified range; limit
HSK 6
恨 hèn to hate; to resent 狠 hěn fierce; cruel 痕 hén trace, mark left by something
HSK 7
垦 kěn to reclaim wasteland, to open up land for cultivation 恳 kěn sincere, earnest

Stroke order

2 缩 suō — to shrink; to become smaller, shorter, or fewer

缩 is not used as a component in any other character.

consists of

2.1 纟 sī — silk/thread radical
纟 is a component in 67 characters
HSK 1
给 gěi to give; to hand over to someone
HSK 2
红 hóng red (color like fresh blood) 绍 shào to continue, to carry on 绿 lǜ green (color, like flourishing grass and leaves, mixed from blue and yellow)
HSK 3
级 jí rank; grade; level 纸 zhǐ paper, usually made from plant fibers 练 liàn (lit.) white processed silk 终 zhōng end result; conclusion (opposite of 始) 结 jié to tie a knot in rope, thread, or strip of cloth; to weave by knotting
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绩 jì to twist hemp fibers into thread
HSK 4
约 yuē to propose or discuss (something mutually binding) 纪 jì rules; regulations; discipline 线 xiàn thread; yarn made of silk, cotton, hemp, etc., used for sewing or knitting 组 zǔ to combine, to form 细 xì thin (of a rod-like object, opposite of 粗)
Show more HSK 4 characters (+2)
绝 jué to sever; to cut off 续 xù to connect; to continue
HSK 5
纷 fēn numerous and disorderly 织 zhī to weave (cloth or garments from silk, hemp, cotton, wool, etc.) 绕 rào to wind around; to coil around 络 luò something resembling a net 统 tǒng in total; all together; entirely
Show more HSK 5 characters (+5)
绪 xù the beginning or starting point of something (originally the end of a silk thread) 维 wéi to connect; to tie 综 zōng to summarize; to bring together 缓 huǎn slow; unhurried (opposite of 急) 缩 suō to shrink; to become smaller, shorter, or fewer
HSK 6
纠 jiū to entangle; to twist around 纯 chún pure; free from impurities 纳 nà to take in; to bring in 绒 róng soft, fine hair or down 绘 huì to draw or paint (a picture)
Show more HSK 6 characters (+1)
编 biān to weave or braid (with strips or strands)
HSK 7
纤 xiān slender; delicate; fine 纬 wěi weft; horizontal threads in woven fabric (opposite of 经) 纱 shā yarn spun from cotton, hemp, etc., used to twist into thread or weave into cloth 纲 gāng the main rope of a fishing net; the key or essential part of something (often referring to documents or speeches) 纵 zòng north-south in direction (opposite of '横')
Show more HSK 7 characters (+29)
纹 wén pattern or design on silk fabric; decorative pattern or texture in general 纺 fǎng to spin (cotton, hemp, silk, wool, etc. into yarn or thread) 纽 niǔ handle or loop on an object for lifting or hanging 绅 shēn wide sash worn over the outer garment by ancient scholar-officials 绊 bàn to trip or entangle, impeding movement; to tie someone down so they cannot get away 绑 bǎng to tie up; to bind with rope or cord 绞 jiǎo to twist two or more strands together; to entangle 绣 xiù to embroider (patterns or characters onto fabric using colored thread) 绯 fēi crimson; scarlet 绰 chuò (lit.) ample; spacious; having plenty to spare 绳 shéng rope; cord (twisted from two or more strands of cotton, hemp, palm fibre, grass, etc.) 绵 mián silk floss; raw silk wadding used for padding clothing and quilts 绷 bēng to pull taut; to stretch tight 绸 chóu silk fabric; thin and soft silk textile 绽 zhàn to split open; to burst 缀 zhuì to sew together; to stitch 缅 miǎn distant; far away 缆 lǎn thick rope or iron chain for mooring a ship; heavy cable made of twisted strands 缉 jī to search for; to pursue and arrest 缔 dì to conclude; to establish (a treaty or agreement) 缕 lǚ thread; strand 缘 yuán reason; cause 缚 fù to bind; to tie up 缝 féng to sew; to stitch together with needle and thread 缠 chán to wind around, to wrap around 缤 bīn abundant and varied (as in "缤纷") 缴 jiǎo to hand in or pay (especially when fulfilling an obligation or under compulsion) 蕴 yùn (lit.) to contain; to accumulate 辫 biàn braid; plait of hair woven from divided strands
2.2 宿 sù — to lodge; to spend the night; to sleep overnight
宿 is a component in 1 characters
HSK 5
缩 suō to shrink; to become smaller, shorter, or fewer

Stroke order