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塑像 (sù xiàng) — (verb-object) to sculpt a statue; to cast a statue

Definition

塑像 is a verb-object word meaning 'to sculpt a statue' (as a verb-object compound, not a noun). As a noun meaning 'statue' itself, prefer 雕像 or 塑像 used attributively.

verb
(verb-object) to sculpt a statueto cast a statue

Examples

  • 塑像。
    Tā zhèng zài sù xiàng.
    He is sculpting a statue.
  • 。
    Tā sù le yí gè tóng xiàng.
    He sculpted a bronze statue.
  • 塑像。
    Tā sù xiàng de jì shù hěn gāo.
    His skill in sculpting statues is very high.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

塑sùsculpt
像xiàngstatue

塑 means sculpt and 像 means statue; together they denote sculpting a statue.

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
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
朔
朔shuò塑sù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

塑 pairs 土 (earth) with 朔, which gives the sound.

Open 塑 →

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
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
象
象xiàng像
Same sound today

像 uses 亻, the side form of 人 (person), with 象 giving the sound.

Open 像 →
Appears in
Art & Fine Arts

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