si1 si1 suk1 suk1思思縮縮思思缩缩
Jyutpingsi1 si1 suk1 suk1
Yalesī sī sūk sūk
Definition
Timid, shy, and hesitant; shrinking back or awkward out of fear or bashfulness.
colloquialemotionpeople
How it's used
This reduplicated phrase captures a sense of physical or behavioral hesitation that goes beyond simple shyness. It often implies a lack of confidence or a tendency to shrink away from social interaction or confrontation. You will frequently hear it used to urge someone to be more outgoing or to stop acting suspicious.
Examples
Why are you acting so timid?
He acts shy whenever he sees people and doesn't dare to speak.
Related words
Common phrases
always being timid
don't be so shy
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 縮骨, which refers to someone being cunning or shirking responsibility. While both involve the character 縮, 思思縮縮 is about being timid or socially awkward, whereas 縮骨 is about being unreliable or calculating.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
