山水 (shān shuǐ) — mountains and waters; natural scenery; landscape (as a scenic view); landscape painting (as a genre in Chinese art)

Definition

Literally 'mountains and water' — the classical Chinese shorthand for natural scenery, and by extension the landscape-painting tradition (山水画). Think of it as scenery seen with a painter's eye rather than just geography.

noun
mountains and watersnatural scenerylandscape (as a scenic view)landscape painting (as a genre in Chinese art)

Examples

  • 山水。
    Zhè fú shān shuǐ huà zhǎn xiàn le jiāng nán de xiù lì fēng guāng.
    This landscape painting shows the beautiful scenery of Jiangnan.
  • 山水，。
    Guì lín de shān shuǐ jiǎ tiān xià, xī yǐn le wú shù yóu kè.
    Guilin's mountains and waters are the best under heaven, attracting countless tourists.
  • 山水，。
    Tā yán jiū zhōng guó shān shuǐ huà yǐ yǒu sān shí nián, zào yì jí shēn.
    He has studied Chinese landscape painting for thirty years and has reached a high level of mastery.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

山shānmountain
水shuǐwater

山 means mountain and 水 means water; together they evoke landscape and natural scenery.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

山 shows three mountain peaks side by side.

Open 山 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

水 is a simple drawing of water flowing.

Open 水 →

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