sat1 suk1瑟縮瑟缩
Jyutpingsat1 suk1
Yalesāt sūk
Definition
To cower, curl up, or tremble from fear or cold.
colloquialbodydescriptions
How it's used
Focuses on the physical manifestation of shrinking away from discomfort, whether caused by freezing temperatures or intense fear. It implies a defensive posture where the body pulls inward to minimize exposure or vulnerability. While it can describe a reaction to cold, it is frequently used to paint a vivid picture of someone feeling small or intimidated in a social or physical space.
Examples
It is so cold that he is curled up inside the blanket.
The cat saw a stranger and cowered to one side in fear.
Related words
Common phrases
cowering in the corner
shivering and cowering
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply being cold, as it specifically describes the posture of curling up or shrinking. It is not used for inanimate objects like a sweater shrinking in the wash.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
