reduced drawing; miniature copy
A scaled-down representation, such as a map, diagram, or model. Often used in technical or descriptive contexts.
This map is a reduced drawing of the city area.
A small-scale version of a larger system or society, often used figuratively to describe a situation that reflects broader trends.
It is said that a school is a microcosm of society.
This old downtown area is said to be a microcosm of Japanese society.
The architect drew a scaled-down diagram of the building.
縮小 means the general act or process of shrinking/reducing something, whereas 縮図 is specifically the resulting miniature drawing or a figurative microcosm.
counter for thin, flat objects; sheet; plate; coin · serving of soba; portion of gyōza · sumo rank position; wrestler at a given rank · field; rice paddy plot · palanquin bearer
pantograph (drawing instrument)
Compound of 縮 (shuku, 'shrink') and 図 (zu, 'drawing, diagram'). The figurative sense 'microcosm' developed from the literal meaning of a scaled-down representation.