Chinese word

样子

Pronunciation

Pinyinyàng zi

Meaning

  • nounappearance

Example

他的样子很奇怪。tā de yàng zi hěn qí guài

His appearance is very strange.

Illustration for 样子 (appearance)

More examples

她的样子看起来很高兴。tā de yàng zi kàn qǐ lái hěn gāo xìng

She looks very happy.

Core concept

A visible outward form that suggests a person's manner or a situation's state.

Common phrases

  • 什么样子shén me yàng zi

    what it looks like

  • 这个样子zhè ge yàng zi

    like this

  • 她的样子tā de yàng zi

    the way she looks

Similar words

样儿yàngr: An informal spoken expression for someone's or something's visible look.
模样mú yàng: The complete visible look of a person, including the face and clothes, or of a thing.
长相zhǎng xiàng: The way a person's face looks, especially its features and shape.
外表wài biǎo: The outer look of a person or thing, especially the impression created by clothing.

Definition in Chinese

表示通过外观或言行可以判断的情况或状态，常用于描述人的态度或事情的进展。biǎo shì tōng guò wài guān huò yán xíng ké yǐ pàn duàn de qíng kuàng huò zhuàng tài cháng yòng yú miáo shù rén de tài dù huò shì qíng de jìn zhǎn

Word origin

样 (yàng, "form or pattern") + 子 (zi, "noun-forming ending") forms a noun for an outward form or state.

Usage tips

  • English speakers often reserve "appearance" for looks, while Chinese also uses this word for visible signs of a person's manner or a situation's progress.

Related words

Word lists with this word