Usage note
“形容”是用语言描述人或事物的样子或特点。
“Xíng róng” shì yòng yǔyán miáoshù rén huò shìwù de yàngzi huò tèdiǎn.
“Describe” means to use language to depict the appearance or characteristics of a person or thing.
Context note
我们常用“形容”来说出某物给人的感觉，比如“形容天气很好”。
Wǒmen cháng yòng “xíngróng” lái shuō chū mǒu wù gěi rén de gǎnjué, bǐrú “xíngróng tiānqì hěn hǎo”.
We often use “describe” to express how something feels, like “describe the weather as very good.”
5 examples
我用“美丽”来形容花园。
wǒ yòng “ měi lì ” lái xíng róng huā yuán。
I use “beautiful” to describe the garden.
他形容小猫很可爱。
tā xíng róng xiǎo māo hěn kě ài。
He describes the kitten as very cute.
你能形容一下你的朋友吗？
nǐ néng xíng róng yí xià nǐ de péng yǒu ma？
Can you describe your friend?
老师形容春天是温暖的季节。
lǎo shī xíng róng chūn tiān shì wēn nuǎn de jì jié。
The teacher describes spring as a warm season.
她形容蛋糕的味道很甜。
tā xíng róng dàn gāo de wèi dào hěn tián。
She describes the taste of the cake as very sweet.
5 mini stories
小红形容她的新书包是蓝色的。
xiǎo hóng xíng róng tā de xīn shū bāo shì lán sè de。
Xiao Hong describes her new backpack as blue.
小明形容今天的阳光很灿烂。
xiǎo míng xíng róng jīn tiān de yáng guāng hěn càn làn。
Xiao Ming describes today's sunshine as very bright.
小丽形容她的画很漂亮。
xiǎo lì xíng róng tā de huà hěn piào liang。
Xiao Li describes her painting as very beautiful.
小刚形容他的小狗很活泼。
xiǎo gāng xíng róng tā de xiǎo gǒu hěn huó pō。
Xiao Gang describes his puppy as very lively.
老师形容我们班很团结。
lǎo shī xíng róng wǒ men bān hěn tuán jié。
The teacher describes our class as very united.
Mini dialogue
描述朋友
A
你能形容一下你的好朋友吗？
Nǐ néng xíngróng yīxià nǐ de hǎo péngyou ma?
Can you describe your good friend?
B
可以，她很高，头发很长。
Kěyǐ, tā hěn gāo, tóufa hěn cháng.
Yes, she is tall and has long hair.
形容天气
A
今天的天气怎么样？你能形容一下吗？
Jīntiān de tiānqì zěnme yàng? Nǐ néng xíngróng yīxià ma?
How is the weather today? Can you describe it?
B
今天很晴朗，天空很蓝。
Jīntiān hěn qínglǎng, tiānkōng hěn lán.
Today is very sunny, the sky is very blue.
Related words and contrasts
similar
描述
miáo shù
describe
描述 also means to describe or depict
related
表达
biǎo dá
express
表达 is to express thoughts or feelings
related
形状
xíng zhuàng
shape
形状 means shape or form, related to describing appearance