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缩影 (suō yǐng) — microcosm; epitome; miniature version (of something)

Definition

A 'microcosm' — a small part that reflects the whole. Used in writing to say something tiny stands in for something larger (a city for a society, a film for an era).

noun
microcosmepitomeminiature version (of something)

Examples

  • 缩影。
    Zhè ge chéng shì shì xiàn dài shè huì de yí gè suō yǐng.
    This city is a microcosm of modern society.
  • 缩影。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng shì nà ge shí dài shēng huó de suō yǐng.
    This film is an epitome of life in that era.
  • 缩影。
    Tā de jīng lì shì zhěng gè háng yè de suō yǐng.
    His experience is a microcosm of the entire industry.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

缩suōshrunken
影yǐngimage

'缩' gives shrunken and '影' gives image, so it names a miniature reflection.

Characters in this word

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 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
彡彡shān
Sound part声符shēngfú
景
景jǐng影yǐng
Same sound today

影 pairs 景, which gives the sound and also carries the idea of image, with 彡, the part that points to shadow.

Open 影 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Abstract Concepts

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