縮 meaning and stroke order
To withdraw, to shrink, to pull back; abbreviation
How to write 縮, stroke by stroke
17 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
Meaning of 縮
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to withdraw
- to pull back
- to contract
- to shrink
- to reduce
- abbreviation
How 縮 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Thread.
糹 gives the meaning and 宿 hints at the sound.
Radical: 糹 (silk), shared by 126 characters on this site.
How to remember 縮
縮 is built from 糹 (silk thread) on the left and 宿 (sù, to stay overnight) on the right, which gives the sound. Picture a silk thread that stays in the wash overnight and shrinks up tight.
縮 (simplified 缩) means to shrink, contract, or pull back, and it appears mostly in compounds like 缩小 (suōxiǎo), 缩短 (suōduǎn), and 压缩 (yāsuō). It also means abbreviation, as in 缩写 (suōxiě). Example: 这件毛衣洗了以后缩水了。(Zhè jiàn máoyī xǐ le yǐhòu suōshuǐ le.) This sweater shrank after washing.
Common mistake: Learners often read 縮 as sù because its sound part 宿 is usually read sù, but 縮 is always suō in the first tone. Also do not confuse it with 宿 alone, which means to lodge and has no thread radical.
Common words with 縮
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 縮小 | suōxiǎo | to reduce; to decrease; to shrink | HSK 4 |
| 縮短 | suōduǎn | to shorten; to reduce; to curtail | HSK 4 |
| 退縮 | tuìsuō | to shrink back; to cower | HSK 7-9 |
| 收縮 | shōusuō | to pull back; to shrink | HSK 7-9 |
| 壓縮 | yāsuō | to compress; compression | HSK 7-9 |
| 濃縮 | nóngsuō | to concentrate; to condense; (nuclear energy) to enrich | HSK 7-9 |
| 萎縮 | wěisuō | to wither; to dry up (of a plant) | HSK 7-9 |
| 縮水 | suōshuǐ | to shrink (in the wash); fig. to shrink (of profits etc) | HSK 7-9 |
| 畏縮 | wèisuō | to cower; to flinch; to quail; to recoil | HSK 7-9 |
| 緊縮 | jǐnsuō | (economics) to reduce; to curtail | HSK 7-9 |
| 縮影 | suōyǐng | miniature version of sth; microcosm | HSK 7-9 |
| 伸縮 | shēnsuō | to lengthen and shorten; flexible | HSK 7-9 |
| 節衣縮食 | jiéyī-suōshí | to save on food and clothing (idiom); to live frugally | HSK 7-9 |
| 縮寫 | suōxiě | abbreviation; to abridge |
Questions about 縮
How many strokes are in 縮?
縮 is written with 17 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 縮 mean?
縮 (suō) means to withdraw, to shrink, to pull back; abbreviation. A common word with it is 缩小 (suōxiǎo), meaning "to reduce; to decrease; to shrink".
How do you pronounce 縮?
縮 is pronounced suō, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 縮?
The radical of 縮 is 糹, which carries the idea of "silk". Dictionaries list 縮 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 縮?
縮 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 缩, used in mainland China and Singapore.
How do you say abbreviation in Chinese using 缩?
Use 缩写 (suōxiě), which means abbreviation or to abbreviate. For example, 北大 is the 缩写 of 北京大学. A shortened word form is also called 缩略语 (suōlüèyǔ).
Can 缩 be used alone as a verb?
Yes, it often appears with a body part or direction, such as 缩手 (suō shǒu, to pull one's hand back) or 缩回去 (suō huíqu, to pull back in). A turtle pulling in its head is 缩头 (suō tóu).