有声有色 (yǒu shēng yǒu sè) — vivid and lively; full of zest (idiom)

Definition

Means 'vivid and lively,' typically describing a performance, speech, or description. Compared with 绘声绘色, it emphasizes being full of flair; 丰富多彩 stresses variety rather than liveliness.

phrase

vivid and livelyfull of zest (idiom)

Examples

有声有色，。
Tā de bào gào zuò dé yǒu shēng yǒu sè, dà jiā dōu tīng dé hěn rèn zhēn.
He gave such a vivid report that everyone listened very attentively.
有声有色，。
Zhè chǎng wǎn huì bàn dé yǒu shēng yǒu sè, měi gè rén dōu hěn kāi xīn.
This party was arranged so vividly that everyone was very happy.
有声有色，。
Xiǎo wáng bǎ nà cì lǚ xíng jiǎng dé yǒu shēng yǒu sè, wǒ men dōu xiǎng qù kàn kàn.
Xiao Wang described that trip so vividly that we all want to go see it.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

有声have sound

有yǒuhave声shēngsound

动宾Verb + object

有色have color

有yǒuhave色sècolor

动宾Verb + object

有 means to have, 声 is sound, and 色 is color, so the image is vivid and lively.

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

肉肉ròumeat

Sound part声符shēngfú

又

又yòu有yǒu

Same sound today

The form 有 combines 又, used for its sound, with a shape from 肉, 'meat'; the hand-holding-meat story is a folk explanation, not shown in the oldest shape.

Open 有 →

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 聲; 声 is its simplified writing.

殸耳聲

Meaning part形符xíngfú

耳耳ěrear

Sound part声符shēngfú

殸

殸qìng聲shēng

Same sound today

The traditional form 聲 pairs 耳 (ear) with 殸 as a sound part; the simplified 声 is a shorthand and does not show those original parts.

Open 声 →

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

肉肉ròumeat

Sound part声符shēngfú

又

又yòu有yǒu

Same sound today

The form 有 combines 又, used for its sound, with a shape from 肉, 'meat'; the hand-holding-meat story is a folk explanation, not shown in the oldest shape.

Open 有 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.