sim2 suk1閃縮闪缩
Jyutpingsim2 suk1
Yalesím sūk
Definition
Evasive, furtive, or shrinking back in fear or hesitation.
- evasive; dodging; not speaking or acting straightforwardly
- shrinking back; cowering; flinching in fear or hesitation
- furtive; stealthy; dodging out of sight
colloquialdescriptionspeople
How it's used
Describes someone who appears guilty, hesitant, or unwilling to be seen because they are hiding something. It often implies a lack of confidence or a sense of shame, contrasting with someone who acts openly or directly. The reduplicated form 閃閃縮縮 is more common in daily speech to emphasize the ongoing, suspicious nature of the behavior.
Examples
He acts in a stealthy way, as if he is hiding something from me.
Why are you being so furtive? Just say it openly.
Related words
Common phrases
acting in a very stealthy or evasive manner
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 閃避, which means to dodge or evade a physical object or a question. 閃縮 focuses on the personality or the manner of acting, whereas 閃避 is a specific action taken to avoid something.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
