depict

07 Jul, 2024

2024-07-07 00:25

Meaning

• to describe sth in words, or give an impression of sth in words or with a picture 描写；描述；刻画
• to describe sth in words, or give an impression of sth in words or with a picture 描写；描述；刻画

Root and Affix

de向下，加强语气+pict绘画→画下来⇒描画，描述

Relational words

depict, describe, portray 这组词都含有“描绘”“描述”的意思,其宾语可以是人、物,也可以是事物。它们之间的区别是:

1. describe指用语言文字描述; portray指通过故事、小说等方式用文字来描述,还可专指用笔描绘或绘画; depict指给物体着色或是素描,借用在文学上表示“描写”,强调外表、形象、色彩等具体细节。

2. describe和depict是生动地、具体地描述,力图将所叙述的内容像图片般栩栩如生地呈现在他人面前; portray是一般地描述。

3. describe后可接疑问词引起的从句,而portray不能这样用。

Examples

• a painting depicting the Virgin and Child 一幅描绘童贞玛利亚和圣子耶稣的画
• The artist had depicted her lying on a bed. 画家画了她躺在床上。
• The novel depicts French society in the 1930s. 这部小说描述了 20 世纪 30 年代的法国社会。
• The advertisements depict smoking as glamorous and attractive. 这些广告把吸烟描绘得充满刺激和富有吸引力。 #words for TEM-4