Usage note
形状指物体外部的样子或轮廓。
Xíngzhuàng zhǐ wùtǐ wàibù de yàngzi huò lúnkuò.
Shape refers to the external appearance or outline of an object.
Context note
在美术课上，我们学习画不同的形状。
Zài měishù kè shàng, wǒmen xuéxí huà bùtóng de xíngzhuàng.
In art class, we learn to draw different shapes.
5 examples
这个苹果的形状是圆的。
zhè ge píng guǒ de xíng zhuàng shì yuán de。
The shape of this apple is round.
三角形的形状有三个角。
sān jiǎo xíng de xíng zhuàng yǒu sān gè jiǎo。
The shape of a triangle has three corners.
云朵的形状像一只小狗。
yún duǒ de xíng zhuàng xiàng yì zhī xiǎo gǒu。
The shape of the cloud looks like a little dog.
积木有不同的形状。
jī mù yǒu bù tóng de xíng zhuàng。
Building blocks have different shapes.
月亮有时是弯弯的形状。
yuè liàng yǒu shí shì wān wān de xíng zhuàng。
The moon sometimes has a curved shape.
5 mini stories
小丽用彩纸剪了一个星星形状。她把它贴在窗户上。
xiǎo lì yòng cǎi zhǐ jiǎn le yí gè xīng xīng xíng zhuàng。 tā bǎ tā tiē zài chuāng hù shàng。
Xiao Li cut a star shape from colored paper. She stuck it on the window.
弟弟喜欢圆形的形状。他画了很多圆圈。
dì di xǐ huan yuán xíng de xíng zhuàng。 tā huà le hěn duō yuán quān。
Little brother likes round shapes. He drew many circles.
老师让我们找方形的形状。我找到了书和桌子。
lǎo shī ràng wǒ men zhǎo fāng xíng de xíng zhuàng。 wǒ zhǎo dào le shū hé zhuō zi。
The teacher asked us to find square shapes. I found a book and a table.
树叶的形状是椭圆形的。我捡了一片做书签。
shù yè de xíng zhuàng shì tuǒ yuán xíng de。 wǒ jiǎn le yí piàn zuò shū qiān。
The shape of the leaf is oval. I picked one to make a bookmark.
雪花的形状很漂亮。每一片都不一样。
xuě huā de xíng zhuàng hěn piào liang。 měi yí piàn dōu bù yí yàng。
The shape of snowflakes is very beautiful. Each one is different.
Mini dialogue
形状游戏
A
这个积木是什么形状？
Zhège jīmù shì shénme xíngzhuàng?
What shape is this building block?
B
它是正方形的。
Tā shì zhèngfāngxíng de.
It is square.
画形状
A
你能画一个圆形的形状吗？
Nǐ néng huà yī gè yuánxíng de xíngzhuàng ma?
Can you draw a round shape?
B
当然，我画一个圆圈。
Dāngrán, wǒ huà yī gè yuánquān.
Of course, I'll draw a circle.
Related words and contrasts
similar
样子
yàng zi
appearance, look
样子 is more about how something looks, while 形状 is about geometric shape.
related
图形
tú xíng
figure, diagram
图形 often refers to drawn shapes or diagrams.
similar
外形
wài xíng
outer shape, appearance
外形 emphasizes the external form of an object.