缩
Character learning workspace

suō · to withdraw, to shrink, to pull back

Master the form, understand its parts, and learn how it behaves in real Chinese.

HSK 3.0 · Level 7-9Frequency #6001
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Learn every stroke in 缩

Replay the complete order, pause on difficult movements, inspect one stroke at a time, then write it yourself with live correction.

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Stroke graphics: Make Me a Hanzi / Arphic Public License
Step-by-step explorer

See how 缩 is constructed

Switch between the accumulated form and the isolated movement of each stroke.

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Writing notes

Shape and proportion

14Total strokes

Count each continuous pen movement once, including turns and hooks.

Left-rightCharacter structure

Keep the left side compact and leave enough room for the right side.

纟Key radical

Use the highlighted radical in the animation as a visual anchor for remembering the form.

Print and practise

Download a 缩 writing sheet

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Includes the stroke sequence, progressive tracing, and blank writing squares. Generated locally in your browser.

Vocabulary in context

Common words with 缩

Open a word for its full breakdown, or listen before reading the meaning.

suōWords pronounced suō
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Example sentences

Notice where 缩 sits in each complete thought.

Bié xī yān. xī yān kě néng suō duǎn nǐ de yīn jīng.别吸烟。吸烟可能缩短你的阴茎。

Don't smoke. Smoking can shorten your penis.

Source: Tatoeba #8932461 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Jīn shǔ lěng què de shí hòu huì shōu suō.金属冷却的时候会收缩。

Metals contract when they cool.

Source: Tatoeba #405772 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Zhè zhī wō niú jiāng chù jiǎo suō le huí qù.这只蜗牛将触角缩了回去。

The snail draws in its feelers.

Source: Tatoeba #1593717 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Qǐng jì zhù zhè xiē suō xiě.请记住这些缩写。

Please memorise these abbreviations.

Source: Tatoeba #10059288 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Wō niú suō jìn ké lǐ qù le.蜗牛缩进壳里去了。

The snail retreated into its shell.

Source: Tatoeba #1593704 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Wō niú bǎ chù jiǎo suō le huí qù.蜗牛把触角缩了回去。

The snail drew in its feelers.

Source: Tatoeba #1593714 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Turn reference into recall

How to study 缩 in context

  1. Say suō, then recall the core meaning: to withdraw, to shrink, to pull back.
  2. Write all 14 strokes while keeping the left-right balanced.
  3. Use it in 缩短 (suō duǎn), meaning “to shorten”.
  4. Read the complete sentence aloud once, then cover the translation and explain how 缩 works in that context.

Definitions and traditional forms are compiled from Make Me a Hanzi, HSK curriculum data, and CC-CEDICT. Sourced example sentences link to Tatoeba; editorial examples are labeled separately. Review data sources and licenses.