畏缩

畏縮

wèisuō

verb HSK 7-9 #20,003

Meanings

1 to cower; to flinch; to recoil
2 to shrink back (in fear)

Characters

to fear; to dread

to shrink; to draw back

Examples

他畏缩地站在角落里。

Tā wèisuō de zhàn zài jiǎoluò lǐ.

He stood cowering in the corner.

不要畏缩，大胆地说出你的想法。

Bùyào wèisuō, dàdǎn de shuō chū nǐ de xiǎngfǎ.

Don't shrink back — speak your mind boldly.

Tips

mistakes

Don't confuse 畏缩 (wèisuō, to cower from fear) with 萎缩 (wěisuō, to atrophy/shrink). Different first characters, different tones, completely different meanings.

Stroke Order

畏 wèi

缩 suō