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栩栩如生 (xǔ xǔ rú shēng) — lifelike; vivid; true to life

Definition

A set phrase (chengyu) meaning 'so lifelike it seems alive' — used to praise vivid writing, acting, or artwork that feels almost real.

idiom
lifelikevividtrue to life

Examples

  • 栩栩如生，。
    Zhè fú huà lǐ de hú dié huà dé xǔ xǔ rú shēng, hǎo xiàng zhēn de zài fēi.
    The butterflies in this painting are so lifelike they seem to be flying.
  • 栩栩如生，。
    Yǎn yuán de biǎo yǎn xǔ xǔ rú shēng, guān zhòng dōu kàn dé hěn tóu rù.
    The actor's performance was so vivid that the audience was fully engaged.
  • 栩栩如生，。
    Xiǎo shuō duì jǐng wù de miáo xiě xǔ xǔ rú shēng, ràng rén shēn lín qí jìng.
    The novel's description of the scenery is so vivid that it makes you feel you are there.

Origin

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mùtree
Sound part声符shēngfú
羽
羽yǔ栩
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

栩 shows 木, a tree, next to 羽, which gives the pronunciation.

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mùtree
Sound part声符shēngfú
羽
羽yǔ栩
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

栩 shows 木, a tree, next to 羽, which gives the pronunciation.

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
女
女nǚ如rú
Same sound today

如 is built from 口 (mouth) for its meaning and 女 (woman) for its sound.

Open 如 →

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 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

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