Meanings of 縮
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About 縮
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Podcast: 縮
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AI Study Notes for 縮
缩 (suō) vs 减 (jiǎn) — use 缩 when referring specifically to physical withdrawal or shrinking, while 减 is for reducing quantity or amount.
Be cautious with the tone; 縮 is pronounced with a first tone (suō). A common mistake is to confuse it with the similar-sounding word 'suo' (锁), which means 'lock'. In formal contexts, use 縮 when discussing technical or scientific reductions.
While 縮 is not included in HSK levels, it relates to HSK vocabulary involving size and dimension. Students should focus on its applications in context, such as in phrases like 縮小 (to reduce) and 縮短 (to shorten).
Learners often confuse 縮 (suō) with 缩小 (suōxiǎo), mistakenly using them interchangeably. Remember that 縮 refers to the action of shrinking, while 缩小 specifically means to reduce size.
Pronunciation of 縮
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Etymology of 縮
thread
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 縮
- 1The meaning half糹 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half宿 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawaythread
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 縮? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 縮
Identify the Components
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How to say to withdraw, to shrink, to pull back; abbreviation in Chinese
“to withdraw, to shrink, to pull back; abbreviation” in Chinese is縮
The character 縮 (suō) primarily means to withdraw or shrink, often used in contexts related to physical dimensions or emotional states. It can also refer to an abbreviation, where something is made shorter or more concise. Commonly, it is used in expressions about reducing size or pulling something back.
When to use 縮
Be cautious with the tone; 縮 is pronounced with a first tone (suō). A common mistake is to confuse it with the similar-sounding word 'suo' (锁), which means 'lock'. In formal contexts, use 縮 when discussing technical or scientific reductions.
縮 or something close to it
缩 (suō) vs 减 (jiǎn) — use 缩 when referring specifically to physical withdrawal or shrinking, while 减 is for reducing quantity or amount.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 縮 (suō) with 缩小 (suōxiǎo), mistakenly using them interchangeably. Remember that 縮 refers to the action of shrinking, while 缩小 specifically means to reduce size.
Write 縮
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Practice writing 縮 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 縮
Compound Meaning
What does 缩小 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 縮
You can say '这个图案需要缩小' (Zhège tú'àn xūyào suōxiǎo), which means 'This pattern needs to be reduced.'
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