缩小 (suōxiǎo)

缩小 means to reduce, narrow, or shrink the size, scope, or gap of something, and functions as the antonym of 扩大. It can be used both for physical dimensions and abstract concepts like differences or inequalities.

Meanings

[verb] to reduce, to narrow, to shrink, to diminish (size, gap, scope)
[verb] to scale down, to miniaturize

Example Sentences

政府出台政策，努力缩小城乡发展差距。 Zhèngfǔ chūtái zhèngcè, nǔlì suōxiǎo chéng xiāng fāzhǎn chājù. The government has introduced policies to work on narrowing the development gap between urban and rural areas.

随着谈判深入，双方的分歧逐渐缩小。 Suízhe tánpàn shēnrù, shuāngfāng de fēnqí zhújiàn suōxiǎo. As the negotiations deepened, the differences between the two sides gradually narrowed.

设计师将地图缩小到便于携带的尺寸。 Shèjì shī jiāng dìtú suōxiǎo dào biànyú xiédài de chǐcùn. The designer reduced the map to a size convenient for carrying.

经过努力，贫富之间的差距得到了一定程度的缩小。 Jīngguò nǔlì, pín fù zhī jiān de chājù dédào le yīdìng chéngdù de suōxiǎo. Through effort, the gap between rich and poor has been narrowed to a certain degree.

这次改革旨在缩小政府干预的范围，激发市场活力。 Zhè cì gǎigé zhǐ zài suōxiǎo zhèngfǔ gānyù de fànwéi, jīfā shìchǎng huólì. This reform aims to reduce the scope of government intervention and stimulate market vitality.

技术的普及有助于缩小数字鸿沟。 Jìshù de pǔjí yǒuzhù yú suōxiǎo shùzì hónggōu. The popularization of technology helps to narrow the digital divide.

Collocations

Collocation	Meaning
缩小差距	to narrow the gap
缩小范围	to reduce the scope
缩小规模	to scale down
逐渐缩小	to gradually narrow/reduce
缩小差异	to reduce differences
贫富差距缩小	narrowing of the wealth gap

Usage Notes

缩小 is the natural antonym of 扩大, and the two are often used in parallel or contrasting constructions in Chinese texts. 缩小差距 (to narrow the gap) is a particularly common collocation in policy, social, and economic writing. Note that 缩小 can describe both a deliberate reduction (人为缩小, artificially reduce) and a naturally occurring shrinkage.

At B2 level, mastering 缩小/扩大 as a pair helps learners discuss trends, policies, and comparisons with precision.

Memory Hook

缩 means to shrink or contract, and 小 means small -- 缩小 is to shrink something small, like pulling in a sail so the boat takes up less space on the water.