仿

倣/彷

fǎng

亻 + 方

HSK 3.0Level 7

Definitions

fǎng (verb) to imitate; to copy

fǎng (adverb) seemingly

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 亻 represents the meaning and 方 represents the sound. Simplified form of 彷.

Semantic: 亻 Phonetic: 方

About

仿 is a phonosemantic compound: the 亻 radical (person) on the left indicates the meaning, while 方 on the right provides the sound. It is the simplified form of 彷. The person radical points to human action, so its core meaning is to imitate or copy a model. Over time, it also came to express resemblance or similarity, that one thing is like another. 仿 functions as a verb for copying behaviors, and as an adjective or conjunction indicating likeness between two entities.

Etymology Hide

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他在模仿小猫叫。

Tā zài mófǎng xiǎo māo jiào.

He is imitating a kitten's meow.

这幅画是仿制的。

Zhè fú huà shì fǎngzhì de.

This painting is a copy.

她仿照例子做了一遍。

Tā fǎngzhào lìzi zuòle yī biàn.

She followed the example and did it once.

不要仿冒名牌产品。

Bùyào fǎngmào míngpái chǎnpǐn.

Do not counterfeit brand-name products.

他仿效了英雄的行为。

Tā fǎngxiào le yīngxióng de xíngwéi.

He emulated the hero's behavior.

这种材料可以仿造天然皮革。

Zhè zhǒng cáiliào kěyǐ fǎngzào tiānrán pígé.

This material can imitate natural leather.

科学家仿生设计出了新机器人。

Kēxuéjiā fǎngshēng shèjì chūle xīn jīqìrén.

Scientists used bionics to design a new robot.

在艺术领域，模仿与创新常并存。

Zài yìshù lǐngyù, mófǎng yǔ chuàngxīn cháng bìngcún.

In the field of art, imitation and innovation often coexist.

Related Characters

Component: 亻

Component: 方

仿