真容 (zhēn róng) — a lifelike portrait (especially of a deity); one's true appearance; true self; original face

Definition

Literary/formal word for 'true appearance' — usually a face or likeness long hidden, often a portrait of a Buddha or sage, or a person's real self revealed only over time.

noun
a lifelike portrait (especially of a deity)one's true appearancetrue selforiginal face

Examples

  • 真容。
    Zhè cì zhǎn lǎn shǒu cì gōng kāi le nà zūn fó xiàng de zhēn róng.
    This exhibition reveals the true portrait of that Buddha statue for the first time.
  • ，真容。
    Xiāng chǔ jiǔ le, nǐ cái néng kàn dào tā de zhēn róng.
    Only after spending a long time together can you see his true self.
  • 真容，。
    Wèi le jiàn dào zhè wèi dà shī de zhēn róng, tā zhuān chéng qù le nà zuò gǔ miào.
    To see the true likeness of the master, he made a special trip to the ancient temple.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

真zhēntrue
容róngappearance

真 'true' and 容 'appearance' combine to mean one's true face or original look.

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
貝貝bèicowrie; shell
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠂈
𠂈𠂈真zhēn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

真 pairs 貝 (cowrie shell, used for the meaning) with 𠂈, which gave the sound and originally drew a headlong fall.

Open 真 →

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
宀宀mián
Sound part声符shēngfú
公
公gōng容róng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 容, the 宀 (roof) part points to holding or containing, and 公 gives the sound.

Open 容 →

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