Definitions
(verb)
to resemble; to be like; to be similar to
(verb)
follow the example of
(noun)
surname
About
The character "肖" is structurally composed of "小" meaning small and "月" which originates from the component "肉" meaning flesh, indicating an etymological sense of likeness derived from a minor physical part. Its core meaning has consistently centered on resemblance, initially describing familial similarity, as seen in classical texts where it denoted a child's likeness to parents. Over centuries, the character's usage expanded to convey moral resemblance, notably in the compound "不肖" implying unworthiness through a failure to emulate ancestral virtues, while in contemporary language it functions primarily in terms such as "肖像" for portrait and "生肖" for zodiac signs, retaining its fundamental association with similarity.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这是一幅美丽的肖像。
我的生肖是龙。
他被称为不肖之子。
她长得肖似她的母亲。
肖先生是我们学校的老师。
画家正在创作一幅肖像画。
虽然他不肖，但父母仍然爱他。
这幅肖像画逼真地肖似本人的神态。