惟妙惟肖 (wéi miào wéi xiào) — remarkably true to life; vividly portrayed; to imitate to perfection

Definition

A chengyu meaning 'vividly true to life' — used to praise an imitation, painting, or performance that captures every detail. Often interchangeable with 栩栩如生, but more emphatic about the perfection of the likeness.

idiom
remarkably true to lifevividly portrayedto imitate to perfection

Examples

  • 惟妙惟肖，。
    Tā mó fǎng nà wèi míng xīng de dòng zuò wéi miào wéi xiào, dà jiā dōu xiào le.
    He imitated that celebrity's movements so vividly that everyone laughed.
  • 惟妙惟肖。
    Zhè fú huà bǎ xiǎo māo de shén tài huà dé wéi miào wéi xiào.
    This painting captures the kitten's expression with remarkable lifelikeness.
  • 惟妙惟肖，。
    Yǎn yuán de biǎo yǎn wéi miào wéi xiào, guān zhòng wán quán bèi xī yǐn le.
    The actor's performance was so true to life that the audience was completely captivated.

Origin

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 惟 →

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
女女nǚwoman
Sound part声符shēngfú
少
少shǎo妙miào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

妙 combines 女, a woman, with 少, which gives the sound.

Open 妙 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 惟 →

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
月月yuèmoon
Sound part声符shēngfú
小
小xiǎo肖xiào
Same sound today

肖 combines 小, which gives the sound, with 月, the moon.

Open 肖 →

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