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B2 verb 8 min de lecture

收缩

shousuo

Entraîne-toi Exemples Notes et astuces 收缩 en 30 secondes

Explication 收缩 in your Level:

At the A1 level, '收缩' (shōusuō) is a bit advanced. You usually learn '小' (xiǎo - small) or '变小' (biàn xiǎo - become small) first. However, you can think of '收缩' as a special way to say 'become small' for things like your muscles or a balloon. Imagine you have a big circle and it gets smaller and smaller—that is the basic idea. You might not use this word in daily life yet, but you might see it in very simple science books or when talking about cold weather making things smaller. Just remember: '收' is like 'pull in' and '缩' is like 'get short'. Together, they mean 'to pull in and get smaller'.

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At the A2 level, you start to see words that describe how things change. '收缩' is a useful word for describing physical changes. For example, if you are learning about the body, you might learn that your heart '收缩' (contracts) to move blood. Or, if you put a plastic bottle in very cold water, it might '收缩'. It is a more 'scientific' way to say 'become smaller'. You can use it when talking about simple physics or basic health. It's different from '缩小' because '收缩' usually happens because of something inside (like a muscle) or a natural force (like cold).

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At the B1 level, you should begin to use '收缩' in more formal or specific contexts. You will encounter it in news reports about the economy or in medical discussions. For instance, if a company is doing poorly, they might '收缩业务' (scale back their business). This means they are closing some shops to save the main ones. You should also know the common phrase '热胀冷缩' (rè zhàng lěng suō), which means 'expand with heat and contract with cold'. This is a fundamental concept in Chinese culture and science. Using '收缩' instead of '变小' makes your Chinese sound more mature and precise.

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At the B2 level, you are expected to understand the nuances between '收缩', '缩小', and '萎缩'. '收缩' is your primary verb for physical contraction (muscles, pupils, materials) and strategic retrenchment (military lines, business operations). You should be comfortable using it in written essays and formal discussions. You'll also see it used in more abstract ways, such as '收缩投资' (cutting back on investments). At this level, you should also recognize its noun form, especially in medical terms like '收缩压' (systolic pressure). It implies a dynamic, often reversible process, whereas '萎缩' often implies a permanent, negative decline.

At the C1 level, '收缩' appears in sophisticated literary and technical contexts. You might read about the '收缩' of the universe in an astrophysics article or the '收缩' of a character's soul in a psychological novel. You should be able to use it metaphorically to describe a tightening of focus or a withdrawal from social life. In business, you would use it to describe complex market cycles. You should also be familiar with related idioms or four-character phrases that use '缩', and understand how '收缩' functions in classical-leaning modern prose to create a sense of tension or density in the writing.

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At the C2 level, your mastery of '收缩' should be near-native. You understand its precise placement in high-level academic papers, legal documents, and classical poetry analysis. You can differentiate between the subtle connotations of '收缩' versus '紧缩' in macroeconomic policy debates. You might use it to describe the '收缩' of a narrative structure in literary criticism. At this level, the word is not just a vocabulary item but a tool for precise conceptual mapping, allowing you to describe the ebb and flow of physical, social, and psychological forces with absolute clarity and appropriate register.

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Entraîne-toi Exemples Notes et astuces

收缩 en 30 secondes

收缩 means to contract or shrink physically or abstractly.
Commonly used for muscles, pupils, materials, and economic scale.
It differs from 缩小 by implying an internal or natural force.
It is a formal B2-level word essential for science and business.

The Chinese verb 收缩 (shōusuō) is a highly versatile term that primarily describes the process of something becoming smaller in size, volume, or extent. At its core, it refers to a physical drawing inward or a tightening. Imagine a rubber band that has been stretched and then released; the movement it makes to return to its original size is a form of 收缩. However, in the Chinese language, this word extends far beyond simple physical objects. It is a critical term in biology, physics, economics, and even military strategy.

Physical Contraction: This refers to materials or biological tissues getting smaller. For example, muscles contract to create movement, and certain metals contract when they cool down. In these cases, the internal structure of the object is pulling together.

当天气变冷时，金属会产生收缩现象。 (When the weather turns cold, metal undergoes a contraction phenomenon.)

Economic and Abstract Scale: In a business or economic context, it describes a reduction in scope. If a market is shrinking or a company is pulling back its operations from international branches to focus on the domestic market, we use 收缩. It implies a tactical or natural reduction in reach.

In medical terminology, you will frequently encounter this word. The heart's rhythmic beating is described as 收缩 (systole) and 舒张 (diastole). Without the ability of our blood vessels to 收缩, our bodies could not regulate blood pressure or temperature effectively. It is a word that describes vital, dynamic processes.

医生说，这种药物可以帮助血管收缩。 (The doctor said this medicine can help blood vessels contract.)

Strategic Retrenchment: In military or competitive strategy, 收缩战线 (shōusuō zhànxiàn) means to shorten the battle line or consolidate forces. It is often a defensive move to strengthen a core position by giving up peripheral areas.

In summary, whether you are talking about a sweater that shrank in the wash (though 缩水 is more specific there), a muscle cramp, or a cooling economy, 收缩 is your go-to word for describing the act of drawing inward and reducing in size.

Using 收缩 correctly requires understanding its role as an intransitive verb (something shrinks on its own) or a noun (the act of contraction). It is rarely used as a transitive verb where you 'contract' an object directly in the way you might 'reduce' a price.

Pattern 1: Subject + (会/在) + 收缩: This is the most common usage for physical and biological processes. 'The subject undergoes contraction.'

人的瞳孔在强光下会迅速收缩。 (Human pupils will quickly contract under bright light.)

In this example, the pupils are reacting naturally to a stimulus. Note how 迅速 (quickly) is used as an adverb to describe the speed of the contraction.

Pattern 2: 收缩 + Specific Noun: When used with abstract concepts like 'front lines' or 'investments', it takes on a strategic meaning.

面对金融危机，公司不得不收缩业务。 (Facing the financial crisis, the company had to scale back its business.)

Here, 收缩业务 suggests a tactical withdrawal or reduction of operations to save the core business. It sounds more professional and deliberate than just saying 'making the business smaller'.

Pattern 3: [Noun] 的收缩: Using the word as a noun to describe a state or a phenomenon.

肌肉的持续收缩会导致酸痛。 (The continuous contraction of muscles will lead to soreness.)

Finally, consider the antonym 膨胀 (péngzhàng) - expansion. In physics and economics, these two are often paired. 'Thermal expansion and contraction' is translated as 热胀冷缩 (rè zhàng lěng suō), where 缩 is the short form of 收缩. This shows how deeply embedded the concept is in describing the physical laws of the universe.

You will encounter 收缩 in several distinct environments, each giving the word a slightly different flavor. Understanding these contexts will help you sound more like a native speaker at the B2 level and beyond.

In the Gym or Hospital: If you are talking to a personal trainer or a doctor, '收缩' is the standard term for muscle movement. A trainer might say, '感受肌肉的收缩' (Feel the contraction of the muscle). In a medical report, '收缩压' (shōusuōyā) refers to systolic blood pressure—the pressure when your heart muscle contracts.

你的收缩压有点高，需要注意饮食。 (Your systolic pressure is a bit high; you need to watch your diet.)

In Economic News: Watch any Chinese financial news broadcast like CCTV-2, and you'll hear about '经济收缩' (economic contraction). This is used when the GDP growth slows down or becomes negative. It sounds much more formal and analytical than saying the economy is 'getting worse'.

由于需求减少，制造业指数出现了收缩。 (Due to decreased demand, the manufacturing index showed a contraction.)

In Science Classrooms: In physics or chemistry, '收缩' is used to describe the behavior of matter. Whether it's a gas cooling down or a solid reacting to pressure, '收缩' is the precise term for the reduction in volume.

In literature, authors might use 收缩 metaphorically to describe a person's heart tightening with fear or sorrow. '他的心猛地收缩了一下' (His heart suddenly tightened/contracted) is a common way to express a sudden emotional shock.

看到那一幕，她的瞳孔不由自主地收缩。 (Seeing that scene, her pupils contracted involuntarily.)

By paying attention to these specific fields—medicine, economics, physics, and literature—you will begin to see that 收缩 is a sophisticated way to describe the 'shrinking' of the world around us.

Even advanced learners often mix up 收缩 with other words that mean 'to shrink' or 'to reduce'. Here are the most common pitfalls to avoid.

Mistake 1: Confusing with 缩小 (suǒxiǎo): '缩小' is a general term for making something smaller (like a photo or a gap). '收缩' is about the internal process of drawing together. You '缩小差距' (narrow the gap), but you don't '收缩差距'. Conversely, muscles '收缩', they don't just '缩小' (though they might shrink in size, the act of contracting is '收缩').

Incorrect: 我们的目标是收缩贫富差距。
Correct: 我们的目标是缩小贫富差距。

Mistake 2: Using it for Laundry: While technically a shirt '收缩' (contracts) in hot water, no one says it that way. Use 缩水 (suōshuǐ). It's a specific term for fabric shrinking due to water or heat.

Natural: 这件衬衫缩水了。 (This shirt shrank.)
Unnatural: 这件衬衫收缩了。

Mistake 3: Confusing with 萎缩 (wěisuō): '萎缩' implies withering or atrophy—a negative, often permanent loss of vitality or size. '收缩' can be a healthy, functional, or temporary process. Muscles '收缩' to lift a weight, but they '萎缩' if you don't use them for months.

Lastly, be careful with the word '紧缩' (jǐnsuō). This is almost exclusively used for 'tightening' policies, like 银根紧缩 (tightening of the money supply). While similar to '收缩', it carries a stronger sense of external pressure or restriction.

By distinguishing these nuances, you will avoid the clunky 'translated' feel that many learners struggle with when they use a single English word like 'shrink' for every situation.

To master 收缩, you must see how it sits within a family of 'reduction' words. Each has its own specific 'register' and 'domain'.

收缩 vs. 缩小 (suǒxiǎo): 收缩: Focuses on the physical mechanism of drawing inward (muscles, cooling metal).
缩小: Focuses on the result of becoming smaller in scale, range, or size (shrinking a photo, narrowing a gap).

收缩 vs. 萎缩 (wěisuō): 收缩: Often neutral or functional (heart contraction).
萎缩: Always negative or degenerative (muscle atrophy, a withering market that is dying).

收缩 vs. 紧缩 (jǐnsuō): 收缩: A general physical or economic reduction in volume/scope.
紧缩: Specifically refers to 'tightening' or 'austerity'. Used in 'budget tightening' (财政紧缩).

Example: 经济收缩 (The economy is shrinking/contracting) vs. 政策紧缩 (The policy is tightening/becoming more restrictive).

Other alternatives include:

减小 (jiǎnxiǎo): To decrease in size/intensity (e.g., sound getting quieter).
压缩 (yāsuō): To compress (e.g., compressing a file or a schedule).
退缩 (tuìsuō): To shrink back in fear or hesitation (metaphorical/psychological).

By choosing the right word from this list, you demonstrate that you understand not just the meaning of 'shrink', but the specific *way* in which something is shrinking.

How Formal Is It?

Le savais-tu ?

The character '缩' (suō) originally depicted the process of bundling silk tightly, which naturally causes it to shorten or shrink.

Guide de prononciation

UK /ʃoʊ swɔː/

US /ʃoʊ swɔ/

Equal stress on both syllables.

Rime avec

钩 (gōu) 收 (shōu) 多 (duō) 过 (guò) 罗 (luó) 拖 (tuō) 梭 (suō) 波 (bō)

Erreurs fréquentes

Pronouncing 'suo' as 'so'. It must have the 'u' (w) glide.
Pronouncing 'shou' as 'xu'. 'Sh' is a retroflex sound.

Niveau de difficulté

Lecture 4/5

Common in news and science; requires knowledge of two characters.

Écriture 5/5

The character '缩' has many strokes and is easy to miswrite.

Expression orale 3/5

Pronunciation is straightforward if you master 'sh' and 's'.

Écoute 4/5

Can be confused with '缩小' in fast speech.

Quoi apprendre ensuite

Prérequis

小大变收给

Apprends ensuite

膨胀扩张舒张萎缩紧缩

Avancé

宏观调控通货紧缩生理反应

Grammaire à connaître

Resultative Complements

收缩成一个小球 (Shrink into a small ball).

Adverbial placement

剧烈地收缩 (Violently contract).

Cause and Effect with 由于

由于寒冷，金属收缩了。

Nominalization with 的

肌肉的收缩 (The contraction of muscles).

Conditional with 如果

如果经济收缩，失业率会上升。

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Exemples par niveau

天气冷，这个球收缩了。

The weather is cold, this ball contracted.

Subject + 收缩了 (completed action).

看，它在收缩。

Look, it is shrinking.

在 + 收缩 (continuous action).

手里的海绵收缩了。

The sponge in the hand contracted.

Simple past observation.

小猫的瞳孔收缩了。

The kitten's pupils contracted.

Body part + 收缩.

冷水让瓶子收缩。

Cold water makes the bottle contract.

Cause + 让 + Object + 收缩.

肌肉会收缩。

Muscles can contract.

General fact with 会.

心房在收缩。

The atrium is contracting.

Medical context.

气球收缩得很快。

The balloon is shrinking very fast.

Verb + 得 + Adverb.

这种材料遇冷会收缩。

This material contracts when it encounters cold.

Condition (遇冷) + Result.

医生检查了心脏的收缩情况。

The doctor checked the heart's contraction status.

收缩 as a noun modifier.

强光下，眼睛会收缩。

Under strong light, eyes will contract.

Environmental condition + verb.

这个塑料袋受热后收缩了。

This plastic bag shrank after being heated.

受热 (heated) + 后 (after).

运动时肌肉在不断收缩。

Muscles are constantly contracting during exercise.

不断 (constantly) + 收缩.

毛衣洗完后收缩了一点。

The sweater shrank a bit after washing.

收缩 + 数量 (a little bit).

血管收缩会导致血压升高。

Vascular contraction will lead to increased blood pressure.

Cause-effect structure.

这种橡胶收缩性很好。

This rubber has good contractibility.

收缩性 (contractibility) as a noun.

由于市场不景气，公司决定收缩战线。

Due to the market slump, the company decided to shorten its lines (retrench).

Idiomatic use: 收缩战线.

热胀冷缩是自然界的规律。

Expansion with heat and contraction with cold is a law of nature.

Fixed scientific phrase.

他的心因为恐惧而剧烈地收缩。

His heart contracted violently due to fear.

Metaphorical/emotional use.

为了节省开支，我们要收缩部门规模。

To save expenses, we need to shrink the department size.

收缩 + Object (abstract).

这种药物能引起平滑肌收缩。

This medicine can cause smooth muscle contraction.

引起 (cause) + [Noun Phrase].

如果需求继续收缩，工厂将面临倒闭。

If demand continues to shrink, the factory will face closure.

Conditional sentence with '如果'.

这种布料收缩率非常低。

The shrinkage rate of this fabric is very low.

收缩率 (shrinkage rate).

它在寒冷的夜晚里收缩成一团。

It curled (contracted) into a ball in the cold night.

收缩成 (contract into).

央行采取了收缩性的货币政策。

The central bank adopted a contractionary monetary policy.

收缩性 (contractionary) as an adjective.

在极端压力下，物体的体积会收缩。

Under extreme pressure, the volume of an object will contract.

Technical physical description.

随着冬季临近，该地区的经济活动有所收缩。

As winter approaches, economic activity in the region has contracted somewhat.

有所 (somewhat) + 收缩.

子宫收缩是分娩开始的信号。

Uterine contractions are a signal that labor has begun.

Specific medical terminology.

这家跨国公司正在收缩其海外业务。

This multinational is currently scaling back its overseas business.

Progressive aspect (正在).

瞳孔的收缩和舒张受神经系统控制。

The contraction and dilation of the pupil are controlled by the nervous system.

Parallel noun structure (收缩和舒张).

由于资金短缺，项目不得不收缩规模。

Due to a lack of funds, the project had to scale back its scope.

不得不 (have no choice but to).

研究发现，这种金属在特定温度下会发生收缩。

The study found that this metal undergoes contraction at specific temperatures.

发生 (occur) + 收缩.

历史的进程有时呈现出一种收缩的态势。

The course of history sometimes presents a state of contraction.

Abstract historical analysis.

诗人通过文字的收缩来增强情感的张力。

The poet enhances emotional tension through the contraction of language.

Literary criticism context.

在后疫情时代，全球供应链正在经历剧烈的收缩与重组。

In the post-pandemic era, global supply chains are undergoing intense contraction and restructuring.

Complex socio-economic context.

这种哲学观点认为，宇宙最终将从膨胀转为收缩。

This philosophical view holds that the universe will eventually turn from expansion to contraction.

Cosmological/Philosophical register.

在严密的逻辑推理下，辩论的空间被不断收缩。

Under rigorous logical reasoning, the space for debate was constantly tightened.

Metaphorical use in rhetoric.

他的叙事风格极尽收缩之能事，没有任何冗余。

His narrative style is as concise as possible, without any redundancy.

Advanced stylistic description.

面对外部制裁，该国的核心产业表现出了极强的收缩防御特征。

Facing external sanctions, the country's core industries showed strong characteristics of contractionary defense.

Political science/Economic terminology.

城市的边界在某些衰落地区正在发生收缩。

Urban boundaries are contracting in certain declining areas.

Urban planning/Sociology.

这种微观粒子的收缩效应只能在量子力学框架下解释。

The contraction effect of this micro-particle can only be explained within the framework of quantum mechanics.

High-level scientific register.

在权力的高度收缩中，决策变得愈发单一。

In the high concentration (contraction) of power, decision-making becomes increasingly singular.

Political theory.

该流派的画作通过空间的收缩营造出一种压抑感。

The paintings of this school create a sense of oppression through the contraction of space.

Art history/Criticism.

法律条文的收缩解释往往会导致更严厉的判决。

A restrictive (contracted) interpretation of legal clauses often leads to harsher sentences.

Legal terminology (restrictive interpretation).

这种文化现象反映了社会心理在动荡时期的收缩防御机制。

This cultural phenomenon reflects the contractionary defense mechanism of the social psyche during turbulent times.

Psychological/Sociological analysis.

在资本的全球收缩背景下，新兴市场面临严峻挑战。

Against the backdrop of global capital retrenchment, emerging markets face severe challenges.

Macroeconomic analysis.

文本中意象的收缩与扩张构成了独特的节奏感。

The contraction and expansion of imagery in the text constitute a unique sense of rhythm.

Advanced literary analysis.

通过对费用的极致收缩，该项目实现了奇迹般的盈亏平衡。

Through the extreme retrenchment of costs, the project achieved a miraculous break-even.

Business management register.

Collocations courantes

肌肉收缩

收缩压

经济收缩

瞳孔收缩

收缩战线

血管收缩

收缩率

子宫收缩

业务收缩

热胀冷缩

Phrases Courantes

收缩自如

— Able to contract and expand freely. Used for flexible materials or skilled control.

这根弹簧收缩自如。

全面收缩

— A total retrenchment or reduction across all areas.

公司决定全面收缩海外投资。

剧烈收缩

— Violent or intense contraction.

他感到腹部一阵剧烈收缩。

持续收缩

— Continuous contraction over a period.

制造业指数已持续收缩三个月。

被动收缩

— Passive or involuntary contraction.

这是身体的一种被动收缩反应。

主动收缩

— Active or voluntary contraction.

通过主动收缩肌肉来增强力量。

局部收缩

— Localized contraction.

伤口周围的皮肤出现了局部收缩。

缓慢收缩

— Slow contraction.

这种材料在冷却过程中缓慢收缩。

向内收缩

— Contracting inward.

圆环开始向内收缩。

收缩防御

— Contractionary defense (military or strategic).

球队在下半场采取了收缩防御。

Souvent confondu avec

收缩 vs 缩小

General size reduction vs. physical contraction mechanism.

收缩 vs 萎缩

Functional contraction vs. degenerative withering.

收缩 vs 缩水

Internal physical process vs. fabric shrinking in water.

Expressions idiomatiques

"热胀冷缩"

— Expand with heat, contract with cold. A basic physical law.

冬天水管爆裂是因为热胀冷缩。

Scientific/Common

"能屈能伸"

— Able to bend and stretch. Metaphorically: flexible in character.

大丈夫能屈能伸。

Literary/Common

"缩手缩脚"

— To shrink back hands and feet. Metaphorically: to be over-cautious.

干大事不能缩手缩脚。

Informal

"节衣缩食"

— Economize on clothes and food. To live very frugally.

父母节衣缩食供我上学。

Common

"退避三舍"

— To retreat three stages. To give way to someone out of respect or fear.

面对他的气势，对手退避三舍。

Literary

"噤若寒蝉"

— Silent as a cicada in cold weather. To be too afraid to speak.

老板一发火，大家噤若寒蝉。

Literary

"畏首畏尾"

— To fear the head and the tail. To be full of fears and misgivings.

做事畏首畏尾是不会成功的。

Common

"缩头缩脑"

— To draw in one's head and brain. To act timidly or cowardly.

别缩头缩脑的，勇敢一点。

Informal

"由博返约"

— To go from broad to concise. A form of intellectual contraction.

读书要经历一个由博返约的过程。

Academic

"收回成命"

— To withdraw a command. (Using '收' in a similar sense of drawing back).

请陛下收回成命。

Archaic/Formal

Facile à confondre

收缩 vs 缩小

Both mean 'to get smaller'.

缩小 is about scale/result; 收缩 is about the physical act/mechanism.

缩小图片 (resize photo) vs 肌肉收缩 (muscle contract).

收缩 vs 萎缩

Both involve getting smaller.

萎缩 is usually permanent and negative (atrophy); 收缩 is often normal/temporary.

市场萎缩 (market dying) vs 瞳孔收缩 (pupil reacting).

收缩 vs 紧缩

Both involve reduction/tightening.

紧缩 is almost always used for money or policy tightening.

财政紧缩 (fiscal austerity) vs 血管收缩 (vessel contraction).

收缩 vs 缩短

Both mean 'to shorten'.

缩短 is specifically about length or time; 收缩 is about volume/contraction.

缩短时间 (shorten time) vs 经济收缩 (economic contraction).

收缩 vs 退缩

Both use the character 缩.

退缩 is purely metaphorical, meaning to cower or back down.

他面对困难退缩了 (He backed down from the challenge).

Structures de phrases

物体 + 遇冷 + 会收缩

塑料遇冷会收缩。

由于...，公司不得不收缩...

由于亏损，公司不得不收缩规模。

...的收缩导致了...

血管的收缩导致了血压上升。

呈现出...收缩的态势

市场呈现出持续收缩的态势。

在...框架下探讨...的收缩

在物理学框架下探讨宇宙的收缩。

收缩 + 战线/规模/投资

我们需要收缩投资以降低风险。

收缩压 + 是/达到

收缩压达到了正常水平。

肌肉 + 在 + 收缩

我的肌肉在收缩。

Famille de mots

Noms

收缩率 (shrinkage rate)

收缩压 (systolic pressure)

收缩性 (contractibility)

Verbes

收 (receive/gather)

缩 (shrink/shorten)

收缩 (contract)

Adjectifs

收缩性的 (contractionary)

Apparenté

缩小

萎缩

紧缩

压缩

退缩

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Comment l'utiliser

frequency

Common in specific domains (Medicine, Economy, Science).

Erreurs courantes

Using 收缩 for 'narrowing a gap'. → 缩小差距。
A gap isn't a physical material contracting; it's a distance being reduced in scale.
Saying 毛衣收缩了 after washing. → 毛衣缩水了。
Laundry shrinking has its own specific, more common term: 缩水.
Confusing 萎缩 with 收缩 in medical contexts. → 肌肉收缩 (Muscle working) vs 肌肉萎缩 (Muscle wasting).
Using the wrong word could mean the difference between a workout and a disease.
Pronouncing 'suo' as 'shuo'. → shōusuō (not shōushuō).
The second character starts with an 's', not a retroflex 'sh'.
Using 收缩 as a transitive verb for 'shrinking a file'. → 压缩文件。
For digital or physical compression, '压缩' is the correct technical term.

Astuces

Verb-Noun Flexibility

Remember that 收缩 functions easily as both a verb and a noun. Don't worry about adding extra suffixes to make it a noun.

Pair with 舒张

When learning 收缩 in a medical context, always learn its partner 舒张 (shūzhāng - relax/dilate). They are the 'yin and yang' of heart movement.

Business Strategy

Use '收缩' when you want to describe a company being smart and cutting back to save itself. It sounds much more positive than 'losing business'.

The 'u' Glide

Make sure you don't skip the 'u' in 'suo'. It should sound like 's-w-o', not just 'so'. This is a common mistake for beginners.

Stroke Order

Pay attention to the '纟' (silk) radical in '缩'. It reminds you of the original meaning of bundling silk thread.

Precision

In a physics lab, always use '收缩' to describe volume change. '变小' is too colloquial for a formal report.

Idiom Usage

Memorize '热胀冷缩'. It's a very common phrase that makes you sound like you understand basic Chinese science education.

The 'Gather' Hand

Think of the left side of '收' as a hand gathering something in. This helps you remember the 'drawing inward' aspect of the word.

收缩 vs 缩小

Ask yourself: Is there a physical force drawing it in? If yes, use 收缩. Is it just a change in scale? Use 缩小.

News Keywords

When you hear '经济' (economy), listen for '收缩' or '增长' (growth) to understand the news trend immediately.

Mémorise-le

Moyen mnémotechnique

Imagine '收' (shōu) as your hand GATHERING things, and '缩' (suō) as those things getting SMALLER in your palm.

Association visuelle

A beating heart or a cooling piece of metal shrinking in size.

Word Web

肌肉心脏经济冷缩业务瞳孔战线规模

Défi

Try to use '收缩' to describe three different things today: a body part, a weather effect, and a business news item.

Origine du mot

Composed of '收' (to gather/receive) and '缩' (to shrink/draw back). This combination has been used since ancient Chinese to describe physical and strategic movements.

Sens originel : To draw inward or to gather back something that was extended.

Sino-Tibetan

Contexte culturel

No specific sensitivities, but avoid using '萎缩' (atrophy) when you mean '收缩' (contract) to avoid sounding overly negative about someone's health.

English speakers often use 'shrink' for everything. In Chinese, remember to use '收缩' for formal/physical contexts and '缩小' for general size reduction.

The concept of 'The Big Crunch' in cosmology is translated as '大收缩' (Dà Shōusuō). Medical textbooks on cardiovascular health. Economic reports on 'The Great Recession'.

Pratique dans la vie réelle

Contextes réels

Medical Checkup

收缩压是多少？
深呼吸，感受肌肉收缩。
血管收缩正常。
心脏收缩有力。

Business Meeting

我们需要收缩业务。
市场正在收缩。
收缩开支是必须的。
战线收缩得太快了。

Science Class

热胀冷缩的原理。
体积会收缩吗？
观察它的收缩过程。
收缩率的计算。

Fitness/Gym

保持肌肉收缩。
缓慢地收缩。
感受每一次收缩。
收缩核心部位。

Daily Life/Weather

手冻得收缩了。
衣服收缩了（虽多用缩水）。
瞳孔在收缩。
海绵收缩了。

Amorces de conversation

"你觉得现在的全球经济是在扩张还是在收缩？"

"你知道为什么铁轨之间要留缝隙吗？这和收缩有关吗？"

"你运动的时候会刻意去感受肌肉的收缩吗？"

"如果一家公司开始收缩业务，你觉得这是好信号还是坏信号？"

"你见过最神奇的热胀冷缩现象是什么？"

Sujets d'écriture

描述一次你感到‘心猛地收缩了一下’的经历。发生了什么？

探讨在经济收缩时期，个人应该如何理财。

写一段关于瞳孔收缩的科学观察日记。

如果你是一家大公司的CEO，在什么情况下你会选择收缩业务战线？

谈谈你对‘人生需要收缩与扩张的节奏’这一观点的看法。

Questions fréquentes

10 questions

While technically correct, native speakers almost always use '缩水' (suōshuǐ) for laundry. Using '收缩' would sound overly scientific or unnatural in a casual conversation about clothes.

It can be both. As a verb: '肌肉在收缩' (The muscle is contracting). As a noun: '心脏的收缩' (The contraction of the heart). It is very flexible.

The opposite is '扩张' (kuòzhāng - expansion). For example: '经济扩张' vs '经济收缩'.

It is '收缩压' (shōusuōyā). The opposite (diastolic) is '舒张压' (shūzhāngyā).

Yes, it is more formal than '变小'. It is the standard term in academic, medical, and professional contexts.

No, that sounds strange. For abstract things like dreams or goals getting smaller, use '缩小' (suǒxiǎo) or '幻灭' (huànmiè - disillusionment).

It's a four-character idiom meaning 'expand with heat, contract with cold'. It's used to explain why things change size with temperature.

Yes, '收缩战线' means to shorten the defensive lines to consolidate power. It's a common strategic term.

Yes, '瞳孔收缩' is the correct medical and common term for pupils getting smaller in bright light.

Not at all. It often describes a healthy, functioning process, like a muscle working or a heart beating.

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