缩小

• 拼音: suō xiǎo
• 汉字拆解: 缩 = 纟(silk) + 宿 (phonetic), meaning to shrink; 小 = pictograph of three small dots, meaning small

含义

To reduce; to shrink; to make smaller in size or scale.

Used for making something physically smaller, reducing the scale or scope of something, or narrowing differences. The opposite is 扩大 (to expand). Commonly used with 范围 (scope), 差距 (gap), and 规模 (scale).

例句

1. 请把这张图片缩小一点再发给我。
2. 警方正在缩小搜索范围。
3. 城市和农村之间的收入差距正在逐渐缩小。

用法指南

语境: technology, everyday, analysis

语气: practical

正确说法

• 你可以用鼠标滚轮缩小地图。(You can use the mouse scroll wheel to zoom out the map.)
• 我们要想办法缩小和对手的差距。(We need to find a way to narrow the gap with our competitors.)

错误说法

• 我想缩小我的体重。(Don't use 缩小 for body weight — use 减轻 or 减少. 缩小 is for size and scale, not weight.)

起源与历史

Compound of 缩 (to shrink, to contract) and 小 (small), meaning to make something smaller.

文化背景

世代: All ages

社会背景: Universal