Definitions

(bound form) to imitate; to copy

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

摹 is a phono-semantic compound. Its semantic component is 手 (hand), typically written as 扌 when on the left, but here appearing at the bottom to indicate a manual action. The phonetic component 莫 (mò) provides the pronunciation; its original depiction of the sun setting into the grass is not relevant to the meaning here. The character centers on the physical act of tracing or copying, especially in calligraphy or painting, reflecting the manual effort involved in replicating a model. This core meaning is evident in compounds such as 摹仿.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他在一幅画。

Tā zài mó yī fú huà.

He is copying a painting.

孩子们喜欢仿动物。

Háizimen xǐhuān mófǎng dòngwù.

Children like to imitate animals.

学习书法需要帖。

Xuéxí shūfǎ xūyào mó tiè.

Learning calligraphy requires copying calligraphy models.

这幅画是本,不是原作。

Zhè fú huà shì móběn, bù shì yuánzuò.

This painting is a copy, not the original.

他通过仿大师的作品来提高技巧。

Tā tōngguò mófǎng dàshī de zuòpǐn lái tígāo jìqiǎo.

He improves his skills by imitating the works of masters.

电脑程序可以拟人类思维。

Diànnǎo chéngxù kěyǐ mónǐ rénlèi sīwéi.

Computer programs can simulate human thinking.

艺术家在创作前常进行写练习。

Yìshùjiā zài chuàngzuò qián cháng jìnxíng móxiě liànxí.

Artists often do copying exercises before creating.

为了准确还原历史场景,他们仔细绘了古代建筑。

Wèile zhǔnquè huányuán lìshǐ chǎngjǐng, tāmen zǐxì móhuì le gǔdài jiànzhù.

In order to accurately restore historical scenes, they carefully sketched and copied ancient buildings.