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活灵活现 (huó líng huó xiàn) — vivid; lifelike; graphic

Definition

An idiom meaning 'vivid and lifelike' — used to praise a description, painting, or performance that feels as real as life itself. Stronger and more literary than everyday 生动.

idiom
vividlifelikegraphic

Examples

  • 活灵活现。
    Xiǎo shuō lǐ de rén wù bèi miáo xiě dé huó líng huó xiàn.
    The characters in the novel are described so vividly they come to life.
  • 活灵活现，。
    Tā jiǎng de gù shi huó líng huó xiàn, dà jiā dōu tīng rù mí le.
    The story he told was so vivid that everyone was captivated.
  • 活灵活现，。
    Zhè fú huà bǎ xiǎo māo huà dé huó líng huó xiàn, xiàng zhēn de yí yàng.
    This painting depicts the kitten so lifelike that it looks real.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

活灵vividly nimble
活huólively灵língnimble
偏正Modifier + head
活现appear vividly
活huólively现xiànappear
偏正Modifier + head

活灵 and 活现 both convey lively vividness, together describing something that seems to appear before one's eyes.

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠯑
𠯑𠯑活huó
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

活 is built from 氵 (water) and 𠯑, which shows the sound; 𠯑 later changed into 舌.

Open 活 →

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 靈; 灵 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
玉玉yùjade
Sound part声符shēngfú
霝
霝líng靈líng
Same sound today

This note describes the traditional form 靈, not the simplified 灵: 霝 gives the sound, and 玉 (jade) is the meaning part.

Open 灵 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠯑
𠯑𠯑活huó
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

活 is built from 氵 (water) and 𠯑, which shows the sound; 𠯑 later changed into 舌.

Open 活 →

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 現; 现 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
玉玉yùjade
Sound part声符shēngfú
見
見jiàn現
Same sound today

The traditional form 現 pairs 玉 (jade) with 見 as a sound part; the simplified 现 is a shorthand, and its parts are not the historical parts.

Open 现 →
Appears in
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