写生 (xiě shēng) — (v.o.) to sketch or paint from life/nature; to do outdoor or studio drawing from direct observation

Definition

A verb-object compound: 写 (write/sketch) + 生 (life/living). Means drawing or painting directly from a real subject — outdoors in nature or from a live model — rather than from a photo or memory.

verb
(v.o.) to sketch or paint from life/natureto do outdoor or studio drawing from direct observation

Examples

  • 写生。
    Zhōu mò wǒ men qù gōng yuán xiě shēng.
    This weekend we're going to the park to sketch from life.
  • 。
    Tā jīn tiān zài shān shàng xiě le yì tiān shēng.
    He spent the whole day up on the mountain sketching from nature.
  • 写生，。
    Tā hěn xǐ huan xiě shēng, huà dé tè bié shēng dòng.
    She really enjoys sketching from life and her drawings are especially vivid.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

写xiědraw
生shēnglife

写 means draw or describe, and 生 means life, so the word means drawing directly from life.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 寫; 写 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
宀宀mián
Sound part声符shēngfú
舄
舄xì寫xiě
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 寫 combines 宀 with 舄 for the sound; this note is about 寫, not the simplified 写.

Open 写 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

生 shows 屮 (a bud) above 一 (the ground), drawing a sprout coming up from the earth.

Open 生 →

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