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退缩 (tuì suō) — to shrink back, to cower, to back down

Definition

退缩 means shrinking back from fear, difficulty, or pressure — it's about a psychological withdrawal, not a physical one (use 后退 for physical retreat). Stronger than 畏缩, which is a quick involuntary flinch.

verb
to shrink backto cowerto back down

Examples

  • ，退缩。
    Miàn duì yā lì, tā cóng bú tuì suō.
    He never shrinks back in the face of pressure.
  • ，退缩。
    Zhè cì bǐ sài hěn jī liè, dàn méi yǒu yí gè xuǎn shǒu tuì suō.
    The competition was fierce, but none of the contestants backed down.
  • 退缩，。
    Bié yīn wèi yí cì shī bài jiù tuì suō, zài shì yí cì ba.
    Don't shrink back just because of one failure; try again.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

退tuìretreat
缩suōshrink

退 gives moving back and 缩 gives shrinking, together meaning to cower or shrink back.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 皀皀jífood vessel
  • 夊夊suīdownward foot

退 originally showed 皀, a food vessel, with 夊, a downward foot, for leaving the table after eating. In modern 退, the vessel part 皀 changed into an unrelated shape.

Open 退 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 縮; 缩 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìstring, thread
Sound part声符shēngfú
宿
宿sù縮suō
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 縮 pairs 糸 (string, thread) with 宿, which gives the sound; the simplified 缩 is a shorthand.

Open 缩 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Emotions & Feelings

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