形

• Pinyin: xíng
• Hanzi breakdown: 形 = 开 (open) + 彡 (hair/lines), suggesting the outline or contour of something

Meaning

Form; shape; appearance. The external outline or visible structure of something.

A versatile morpheme appearing in many compounds: 形状 (shape), 形式 (form), 形象 (image), 形容 (to describe), 形成 (to form). As a standalone word, it's more literary and often appears in set phrases like 有形/无形 (tangible/intangible) or 形影不离 (inseparable).

Examples

1. 语言是思想的外在表现形式，不能只重形式不重内容。 Language is the external form of thought; one shouldn't focus only on form while ignoring content.
2. 这种材料加热后可以变成任何想要的形。 This material can be molded into any desired shape when heated.
3. 他俩形影不离，去哪儿都一起。 The two of them are inseparable, going everywhere together.

Usage Guide

Context: academic, literary, descriptive

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 形影不离。(Inseparable, like a form and its shadow.)
• 这是什么形的？(What shape is this?)

Don't Say

• 这个苹果的形很好看 — 日常描述外观多用'形状'或'样子'，单用'形'较文雅或正式

Origin & History

Originally a pictograph depicting a frame or mold. The character evolved to represent external shape or form.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal