形 is a bound morpheme (b.f.) — it cannot stand alone as an independent word but serves as a building block in many two-character words. Its core meanings revolve around 'shape', 'form', and 'appearance' (形状, 形式, 形象). It can also convey the idea of 'to take form' (形成) or 'to describe/to depict' (形容). The wide range of English glosses — from 'body' to 'contrast' — reflects the versatility of this morpheme in different compounds, but a single English equivalent rarely captures its full scope.