畏缩

• Pinyin: wèi suō
• Desglose de hanzi: 畏 = 田 + 鬼 (fear); 缩 = 纟+ 宿 (shrink, contract)

Significado

Encogerse/retraerse por miedo; acobardarse.

Used to describe hesitant or cowardly behavior when facing challenges or authority. Distinguished from 萎缩 (physical withering or economic contraction) by its exclusively psychological sense. Often used in contrast with courage or resolve.

Ejemplos

1. 面对困难，我们不能畏缩不前。
2. 他在领导严厉的质问下明显畏缩了起来。
3. 这种畏缩的态度只会让你错失更多的机会。

Guía de uso

Contexto: emotional, workplace, conversation

Tono: disapproving

Correcto

• 在压力面前畏缩退让，只会让对方得寸进尺，步步紧逼。(Flinching and retreating under pressure will only embolden the other side to push further.)
• 他在关键时刻畏缩了，导致这次谈判最终以失败告终。(He shrank back at a critical moment, causing the negotiation to end in failure.)

Incorrecto

• 肿瘤经治疗已经畏缩了 — use 萎缩 or 缩小 for physical shrinkage such as tumor reduction; 畏缩 refers exclusively to psychological flinching driven by fear

Origen e historia

畏 (fear, awe) + 缩 (shrink, contract) — shrinking back because of fear

Contexto cultural

Generación: All ages

Contexto social: Universal