肖像 (xiào xiàng) — portrait (painting, photo, etc.); likeness of a… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

肖像 is a formal, written term for a 'portrait' or 'likeness' of a person (painting, photo, etc.). More formal than 照 in 'to photograph' contexts; pairs with 写照 ('portrayal'), but 写照 focuses on the act of depicting, not the resulting image.

noun

portrait (painting, photo, etc.)likeness of a person

Measure word · 幅

Examples

。
Zhè fú xiào xiàng huà dé fēi cháng bī zhēn.
This portrait is painted very lifelike.
肖像。
Shè yǐng shī wèi tā pāi le yì zhāng xiào xiàng.
The photographer took a portrait of her.
肖像。
Shēn fèn zhèng shàng de xiào xiàng bì xū qīng xī.
The portrait on the ID card must be clear.

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.

肖xiàolikeness

肖 conveys likeness and 像 conveys image, so a portrait is a likeness of a person.

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

月月yuèmoon

Sound part声符shēngfú

小

小xiǎo肖xiào

Same sound today

肖 combines 小, which gives the sound, with 月, the moon.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

亻象像

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rénperson

Sound part声符shēngfú

象

Same sound today

像 uses 亻, the side form of 人 (person), with 象 giving the sound.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Art & Fine Arts

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