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绘声绘色 (huì shēng huì sè) — vivid and lifelike; true to life; lively and realistic

Definition

Idiom for describing vivid, lifelike narration (stories, descriptions). Pairs with 逼真, which describes how realistically something is rendered, not the act of narrating; 有声有色 is a close variant with the same meaning.

phrase
vivid and lifeliketrue to lifelively and realistic

Examples

  • 绘声绘色，。
    Tā jiǎng gù shi shí zǒng shì huì shēng huì sè, xī yǐn suǒ yǒu tīng zhòng.
    He always tells stories in a vivid and colorful way, captivating all listeners.
  • 绘声绘色，。
    Zhè bù xiǎo shuō bǎ rén wù kè huà dé huì shēng huì sè, fǎng fú jiù zài yǎn qián.
    This novel portrays the characters so vividly that they seem right before your eyes.
  • 绘声绘色，。
    Tā de miáo shù huì shēng huì sè, ràng wǒ hǎo xiàng qīn yǎn kàn dào le nà ge chǎng jǐng.
    Her description was so vivid that I felt as if I had seen the scene with my own eyes.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

绘声depict sound
绘huìdepict声shēngsound
动宾Verb + object
绘色depict color
绘huìdepict色sècolor
动宾Verb + object

By 绘 depicting 声 sound and 色 color, the description becomes vivid.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 繪; 绘 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
會
會huì繪
Same sound today

The traditional form 繪 pairs 糸 (silk) with 會, which carries the sound; the simplified 绘 is a later shorthand.

Open 绘 →

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.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 繪; 绘 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
會
會huì繪
Same sound today

The traditional form 繪 pairs 糸 (silk) with 會, which carries the sound; the simplified 绘 is a later shorthand.

Open 绘 →

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

  • 爪爪zhuǎclaw; hand
  • 卩卩jiékneeling person

色 pairs 爪 (a hand) with 卩 (a kneeling person), showing a hand pressing down on the kneeling person.

Open 色 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Communication & SpeechIdioms & Set Phrases

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.