缩 meaning and stroke order
To withdraw; to pull back; to contract
How to write 缩, stroke by stroke
14 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 缩
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to withdraw
- to pull back
- to contract
- to shrink
- to reduce
- abbreviation
How 缩 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Thread.
纟 gives the meaning and 宿 hints at the sound.
Radical: 纟 (silk), shared by 143 characters on this site.
How to remember 缩
缩 combines the thread radical 纟 with 宿 (sù, to stay overnight), which hints at the sound. Picture thread that stays in hot water overnight and shrinks up tight.
缩 means to get smaller or pull back, and it usually appears in two-character words like 缩小, 缩短, 压缩 and 收缩. It can also mean an abbreviation, as in 缩写 (suōxiě). Example: 这件衣服洗了以后缩水了。(Zhè jiàn yīfu xǐ le yǐhòu suōshuǐ le.) This piece of clothing shrank after washing.
Common mistake: Learners often read 缩 as sù because of the phonetic part 宿, but 缩 is suō in the first tone. Also write the left side as 纟 (thread), not 氵 (water), even though the shrinking in 缩水 involves water.
Common words with 缩
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 缩小 | suōxiǎo | to reduce; to decrease; to shrink | HSK 4 |
| 缩短 | suōduǎn | to shorten; to reduce; to curtail | HSK 4 |
| 退缩 | tuìsuō | to shrink back; to cower | HSK 7-9 |
| 收缩 | shōusuō | to pull back; to shrink | HSK 7-9 |
| 压缩 | yāsuō | to compress; compression | HSK 7-9 |
| 浓缩 | nóngsuō | to concentrate; to condense; (nuclear energy) to enrich | HSK 7-9 |
| 萎缩 | wěisuō | to wither; to dry up (of a plant) | HSK 7-9 |
| 缩水 | suōshuǐ | to shrink (in the wash); fig. to shrink (of profits etc) | HSK 7-9 |
| 畏缩 | wèisuō | to cower; to flinch; to quail; to recoil | HSK 7-9 |
| 紧缩 | jǐnsuō | (economics) to reduce; to curtail | HSK 7-9 |
| 缩影 | suōyǐng | miniature version of sth; microcosm | HSK 7-9 |
| 伸缩 | shēnsuō | to lengthen and shorten; flexible | HSK 7-9 |
| 节衣缩食 | jiéyī-suōshí | to save on food and clothing (idiom); to live frugally | HSK 7-9 |
| 缩写 | suōxiě | abbreviation; to abridge |
缩 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 缩
How many strokes are in 缩?
缩 is written with 14 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 缩 mean?
缩 (suō) means to withdraw; to pull back; to contract. A common word with it is 缩小 (suōxiǎo), meaning "to reduce; to decrease; to shrink".
How do you pronounce 缩?
缩 is pronounced suō, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 缩?
The radical of 缩 is 纟, which carries the idea of "silk". Dictionaries list 缩 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 缩?
The traditional form of 缩 is 縮. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 缩 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 缩 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 缩 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 缩小 and 减少?
缩小 (suōxiǎo) means to make something smaller in size or scope, like a gap or a range. 减少 (jiǎnshǎo) means to reduce a number or amount. So you say 缩小差距 for narrowing a gap but 减少人数 for reducing the number of people.
How do you say someone shrinks back in fear with 缩?
Use 退缩 (tuìsuō), meaning to shrink back or lose courage, for example 遇到困难不要退缩 (do not back down when facing difficulties). You can also say 缩头缩脑 (suō tóu suō nǎo) to describe someone timid who hesitates to act.