Definitions
(adverb)
each other; mutually
(noun)
appearance; portrait; picture
(noun)
government minister
(verb)
to examine; to appraise
About
The character "相" structurally combines the radical for "eye" (目) with that for "tree" (木), an arrangement that originally depicted the act of observing or examining a tree, thereby establishing its core meaning related to sight and inspection. From this concrete sense of visual scrutiny, the term naturally evolved to denote the outward appearance or form of what is observed, such as a person's visage. Over time, its semantic scope broadened significantly to express reciprocal relationships and mutual actions, abstracted from the idea of looking at one another, which led to its prevalent use in conveying interdependency and interaction. Throughout these developments, the character's composition has remained unchanged, consistently reflecting its etymological origins while accommodating a range of meanings from concrete perception to abstract relational concepts.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我们互相理解。
她相信我的朋友。
这两个答案是相同的。
我们的方向相反。
他们的性格相似。
他们相处了很长时间。
相对而言，我更喜欢这个。
这些事件相继发生，引起了广泛关注。