遗像 (yí xiàng) — portrait of the deceased

Definition

A formal portrait of someone who has died, displayed at funerals or memorial sites. A respectful, set term — not used for living people's photos.

noun

portrait of the deceased

Measure word · 张

遗像，。
Líng táng zhèng zhōng bǎi zhe lǎo rén de yí xiàng, qián lái diào yàn de rén yī yī jū gōng.
The portrait of the elderly deceased was placed in the center of the mourning hall, and each visitor bowed in turn.
，遗像，。
Qīng míng jié shí, jiā rén bǎ yí xiàng fàng zài mù qián, xiàn shàng xiān huā.
During Qingming Festival, the family placed the portrait of the deceased in front of the grave and offered fresh flowers.
遗像，。
Kàn dào zhè zhāng yí xiàng, wǒ rěn bú zhù liú xià yǎn lèi.
Seeing this portrait of the deceased, I couldn't help but shed tears.

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.

遗yíleft behind

遗 (left behind) and 像 (portrait) give a portrait left by someone who has died.

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 遺; 遗 is its simplified writing.

辶貴遺

Meaning part形符xíngfú

辶Written in full as辵chuòmove

Sound part声符shēngfú

貴

貴guì遺yí

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 遺 pairs 辶 (move) with 貴 as a sound part; the simplified 遗 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the old sound part.

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.