跃然纸上 (yuè rán zhǐ shàng) — (idiom) to appear vividly in writing or painting; to come to life on the page

Definition

A literary idiom praising writing or art that is so vivid the scene seems to leap off the page. Use for skillful description of people, scenes, or emotions in text or painting.

idiom
to appear vividly in writing or paintingto come to life on the page

Examples

  • 跃然纸上，。
    Zuò zhě bǐ xià de xiāng cūn shēng huó yuè rán zhǐ shàng, ràng rén fǎng fú shēn lín qí jìng.
    The rural life described by the author leaps vividly off the page, making readers feel as if they are there.
  • 跃然纸上，。
    Zhè fú huà zhōng de rén wù biǎo qíng yuè rán zhǐ shàng, xǔ xǔ rú shēng.
    The expressions of the figures in this painting are so vivid they seem to leap off the paper, lifelike.
  • ，跃然纸上。
    Tā zhǐ yòng le jǐ jù huà, jiù bǎ nà ge chǎng jǐng xiě dé yuè rán zhǐ shàng.
    He brought that scene to life on the page with just a few sentences.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 躍; 跃 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
足足zúfoot
Sound part声符shēngfú
翟
翟zhái躍yuè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 躍 pairs 足 (foot) with 翟, which gives the pronunciation; the simplified 跃 is a later abbreviation, so its parts are not the original components.

Open 跃 →

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
火火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
肰
肰rán然rán
Same sound today

然 is made from 肰, which gives the sound, and 火, which shows fire, matching the old sense 'to burn'.

Open 然 →

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 紙; 纸 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
氏
氏shì紙zhǐ
Same sound today

For 纸, the traditional form 紙 combines 糸 (silk) with 氏 (the sound part).

Open 纸 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

上 is drawn as a short horizontal line placed above a longer arc, marking a position above that arc.

Open 上 →

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