侧影 (cè yǐng) — silhouette (side view); profile

Definition

Literary noun for a 'silhouette / side profile' — the outline of something (or someone) seen from the side, often used figuratively for one aspect or facet of a larger whole.

noun
silhouette (side view)profile

Examples

  • ，侧影。
    Yuè guāng xià, tā de cè yǐng xiǎn de gé wài yōu měi.
    In the moonlight, her silhouette appeared particularly graceful.
  • 侧影。
    Cóng zhè fú huà de cè yǐng kě yǐ kàn chū huà jiā de fēng gé.
    From the side profile of this painting, you can see the painter's style.
  • 侧影。
    Zhè bù xiǎo shuō zhǎn xiàn le shè huì dǐ céng de lìng yí gè cè yǐng.
    This novel reveals another side of the lower levels of society.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

侧cèside
影yǐngimage

侧影 combines 侧 side and 影 image, giving the outline seen from the side.

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 側; 侧 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
則
則zé側cè
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 側 has 亻, a person, and uses 則 to show its sound. The simplified 侧 is a later shorthand.

Open 侧 →

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
彡彡shān
Sound part声符shēngfú
景
景jǐng影yǐng
Same sound today

影 pairs 景, which gives the sound and also carries the idea of image, with 彡, the part that points to shadow.

Open 影 →

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