退步 tuìbù to do less well than before
to do less well than before; to make a concession; setback; backward step; leeway; room to maneuver; fallback
How to remember 退步: 退 to retreat + 步 a step = to do less well than before.
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How it is used
- Mainly 'to slip backward, get worse than before' - 他的成绩退步了 (tā de chéngjì tuìbù le) his grades have slipped.
- The direct antonym of 进步 (jìnbù, to improve); the 进步/退步 pair is the standard way to talk about getting better or worse over time - 进步很大 (jìnbù hěn dà) has improved a lot.
- A second, concrete sense is 'leave room to back down' - 留个退步 (liú ge tuìbù) leave yourself a way out / some leeway.