The word 退缩 is formed by combining two characters, each conveying a core aspect of the overall concept. The first character, 退, means to retreat, move backward, or withdraw. The second, 缩, means to contract, shrink, or draw in. When joined, they create a powerful, layered image: not just a physical stepping back (退), but an inward coiling or pulling away (缩), merging into a single idea of hesitant, fearful, or unwilling withdrawal.