身(み)をすくめる

みをすくめる

expression

to shrink back; to crouch down

1. to shrink back; to flinch; to hunch one's body

To physically make oneself smaller, either from cold, fear, or an instinctive reaction to something startling or threatening.

寒(さむ)さに身(み)をすくめた。

I huddled up against the cold.

雷(かみなり)の音(おと)に身(み)をすくめる。

To flinch at the sound of thunder.

子供(こども)たちは怒鳴(どな)り声(ごえ)を聞(き)いて身(み)をすくめた。

The children shrank back when they heard the shouting.

A set phrase combining 身(み) (body) with すくめる (to make shrink, to draw in). Describes an involuntary physical reaction — making oneself smaller or cringing. Used for reactions to cold, fear, surprise, or intimidation. The related intransitive form is 身(み)がすくむ (one's body freezes up).

Common collocations

寒(さむ)さに: from the cold
恐怖(きょうふ)で: from fear
雷(かみなり)に: at thunder
怒鳴(どな)り声(ごえ)に: at a shout

Related words

身(み)がすくむ: one's body freezes up — intransitive; emphasizes the involuntary paralysis from fear
肩(かた)をすくめる: to shrug one's shoulders — a different gesture; expresses indifference or "I don't know"
身(み)を縮(ちぢ)める: to make oneself small — similar meaning, more about physically shrinking to avoid attention or cold

Related Words

Related: 肩(かた)をすくめる (to shrug one's shoulders)

general

Added 2026.4.2 1:14 · Revised 2026.10.6 3:40

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