若隐若现 (ruò yǐn ruò xiàn) — faintly discernible; appearing and disappearing; vague and indistinct

Definition

An idiom describing something barely visible — appearing and disappearing, like shapes seen through fog. It pairs with 地 as an adverb (若隐若现地露出).

idiom
faintly discernibleappearing and disappearingvague and indistinct

Examples

  • 若隐若现。
    Yuǎn chù de shān fēng zài yún wù zhōng ruò yǐn ruò xiàn.
    The distant mountain peaks are faintly visible in the mist.
  • 若隐若现。
    Tā de liǎn shàng ruò yǐn ruò xiàn dì lù chū yì sī wēi xiào.
    A faint smile appeared and disappeared on her face.
  • 若隐若现，。
    Nà xiē jì yì yǐ jīng ruò yǐn ruò xiàn, hěn nán zài xiǎng qǐ lái le.
    Those memories have become vague and hard to recall.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

若隐as if hidden
若ruòas if隐yǐnhidden
偏正Modifier + head
若现as if appearing
若ruòas if现xiànappear
偏正Modifier + head

The two parts 若隐 and 若现 stand side by side, each pairing 'as if' with 'hidden' or 'appearing', giving a vague, barely visible impression.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

若 began as a picture of a person combing their hair, associated with obedience.

Open 若 →

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 隱; 隐 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阝Written in full as阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
㥯
㥯㥯隱yǐn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 隱 pairs 阝 (阜) with 㥯 to give the sound; the simplified 隐 is a shorthand, so its right side is not 㥯.

Open 隐 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

若 began as a picture of a person combing their hair, associated with obedience.

Open 若 →

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 →

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