烘托 (hōng tuō) — to set off, to highlight (by contrast)

Definition

烘托 (hōngtuō) means to set off or enhance something by surrounding contrast — like a quiet night that makes moonlight seem brighter. Unlike 凸显 (to actively make something stand out), 烘托 works indirectly through the surrounding context.

verb
to set offto highlight (by contrast)

Examples

  • 烘托
    Huà jiā yòng dàn yǎ de sè cǎi lái hōng tuō huà miàn de zhǔ tǐ.
    The painter uses elegant colors to set off the main subject of the painting.
  • 烘托
    Xiǎo shuō zhōng de huán jìng miáo xiě hěn hǎo dì hōng tuō le rén wù de xīn qíng.
    The environmental descriptions in the novel effectively highlight the characters' moods.
  • 烘托
    Jì jìng de yè wǎn gèng jiā hōng tuō chū yuè guāng de míng liàng.
    The silent night further sets off the brightness of the moonlight.

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