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逼真 (bī zhēn) — lifelike, realistic, true to life

Definition

Describes a copy, imitation, or performance that looks or sounds like the real thing (a painting, model, actor's acting). Like 绘声绘色, but 逼真 focuses on visual likeness, while 绘声绘色 emphasizes lively, vivid storytelling or narration.

adjective
lifelikerealistictrue to life

Examples

  • 逼真。
    Zhè jiàn cí qì de huā wén fēi cháng bī zhēn.
    The pattern on this porcelain is very lifelike.
  • 逼真，。
    Yǎn yuán de biǎo yǎn shí fēn bī zhēn, guān zhòng dōu kàn dāi le.
    The actor's performance was so realistic that the audience was stunned.
  • 逼真，。
    Zhè ge mó xíng zuò dé tài bī zhēn le, gēn zhēn de yí yàng.
    This model is made so lifelike, it's just like the real thing.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

逼bīapproach
真zhēnreality

逼 means to approach, and 真 names reality, so the word means close to real.

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
辶Written in full as辵chuò
Sound part声符shēngfú
畐
畐fú逼bī
Same sound today

逼 pairs 辶, which carries the meaning, with 畐, which gives the sound.

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
貝貝bèicowrie; shell
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠂈
𠂈𠂈真zhēn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

真 pairs 貝 (cowrie shell, used for the meaning) with 𠂈, which gave the sound and originally drew a headlong fall.

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Appearance

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