风貌

• Pinyin: fēng mào
• Hanzi breakdown: 风 = 几 + 虫 (wind, manner, spirit); 貌 = 豸 + 皃 components (form, appearance, looks, features)

Meaning

The overall appearance, character, and style of a place, era, or group of people; the combined visual and cultural impression of something.

More comprehensive than 外观 (appearance) or 风格 (style). 风貌 encompasses the visual, cultural, and historical character of a place or period. Commonly used to describe urban environments, historical districts, or the spirit of an era. 历史风貌 is a key concept in urban preservation.

Examples

1. 为了保护古城的历史风貌，当地政府明确规定核心保护区内的建筑修缮必须严格遵循原有的风格、材料与工艺，不得擅自改变。 To protect the old city’s historic character, the local government has clearly stipulated that any repairs to buildings in the core preservation area must strictly follow the original style, materials, and craftsmanship, and must not be altered without authorization.
2. 这组纪录照片以惊人的历史跨度记录了这座城市在过去一个世纪中的风貌变迁，每一张都是那个时代留给后人的无声档案。 This set of documentary photographs captures, with astonishing historical range, the changes in this city’s look and feel over the past century; each photo is a silent record left to later generations by its time.
3. 报告深入分析了改革开放以来农村社会风貌的深刻变化，认为这种变化不仅体现在物质层面，更体现在观念与价值体系的根本性转型上。 The report offers an in-depth analysis of the profound changes in rural society since reform and opening up, arguing that the shift is not only material, but also a fundamental transformation in beliefs and the value system.

Usage Guide

Context: architecture, history, urban-planning, culture

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这条百年老街修缮后既恢复了晚清民初的历史风貌，又融入现代设施，兼顾保护与使用。(After restoration, this century-old street regained the historical style of the late Qing and early Republic periods while also adding modern facilities, balancing preservation and use.)
• 要全面理解一个时代的精神风貌，仅仅研读那个时代留下的文字资料是远远不够的，还必须深入考察当时人们的日常生活方式与审美取向。(To fully understand the spiritual character of an era, merely studying the written materials it left behind is far from sufficient — one must also conduct in-depth examination of the everyday lifestyles and aesthetic orientations of people at that time.)

Don't Say

• 风貌 for a single person's physical appearance — 外貌 or 相貌 is appropriate for physical looks; 风貌 refers to broader overall character including spirit and environment

Origin & History

风 (wind; manner; spirit) + 貌 (appearance; look; aspect) — the combined appearance and spirit of a person, place, or era

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal