烘托 (hōng tuō) — to set off, to highlight (by contrast)

Definition

烘托 (hōngtuō) means to set off or enhance something by surrounding contrast — like a quiet night that makes moonlight seem brighter. Unlike 凸显 (to actively make something stand out), 烘托 works indirectly through the surrounding context.

verb

to set offto highlight (by contrast)

Examples

烘托。
Huà jiā yòng dàn yǎ de sè cǎi lái hōng tuō huà miàn de zhǔ tǐ.
The painter uses elegant colors to set off the main subject of the painting.
烘托。
Xiǎo shuō zhōng de huán jìng miáo xiě hěn hǎo dì hōng tuō le rén wù de xīn qíng.
The environmental descriptions in the novel effectively highlight the characters' moods.
烘托。
Jì jìng de yè wǎn gèng jiā hōng tuō chū yuè guāng de míng liàng.
The silent night further sets off the brightness of the moonlight.