每天成语
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活灵活现

*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: huó líng huó xiàn
  • English Translation: Vivid and lifelike (as if real)
  • Idiom Composition: 「活」（Alive or living）＋「灵」（Spirit, soul, or divine）＋「活」（Alive (repeated for emphasis)）＋「现」（To appear or manifest）
  • Meaning: A description or representation that is extremely vivid and realistic, as if the subject has come to life right before one's eyes. It is commonly used to praise storytelling, artistic works like paintings and sculptures, or acting performances.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「活灵活现」 contains the following nuances:

  • Overwhelming Vitality: The term emphasizes more than just a visual resemblance; it suggests the subject possesses a 'soul' or 'life force' that makes it feel active and moving.
  • Broad Application: It is not limited to visual arts; it is frequently used for verbal communication, such as when a narrator makes a scene 'come alive' for the audience.
  • Positive vs. Ironic Nuance: While primarily a commendatory term (褒义词 - bāo yì cí), it can be used to describe a 'vivid' lie, implying the speaker is a very skilled deceiver.

3. Usage

「活灵活现」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Storytelling and Descriptions: Used when someone's description is so skillful that the listener feels as if they are witnessing the event themselves.
    • Example:「他把那场惊险的比赛描述得活灵活现，让我们听得入了迷。」
      （He described that thrilling match so vividly that we were completely captivated.）
  • Art and Performance: Used to praise an actor's performance or an artist's work for being incredibly realistic.
    • Example:「这位老演员把反派角色演得活灵活现，让人恨得牙痒痒。」
      （This veteran actor played the villain so lifelike that it made people's skin crawl with hatred.）
  • Irony regarding Lies or Rumors: Used to describe someone who tells a fabricated story with such specific detail that it sounds true.
    • Example:「明明没去过现场，他却说得活灵活现，差点把大家都骗了。」
      （Even though he hadn't been to the scene, he spoke about it as if he had seen it with his own eyes, nearly fooling everyone.）

Additional Examples:

  1. 作者笔下的人物个个活灵活现，仿佛就在我们身边。
    （The characters created by the author are all vividly portrayed, as if they were right here beside us.）
  2. 这幅画里的老虎画得活灵活现，好像随时会跳出来一样。
    （The tiger in this painting is drawn so realistically that it looks like it might jump out at any moment.）
  3. 虽然是神话故事，但在奶奶口中却讲得活灵活现。
    （Although it is a myth, it sounds remarkably real when told by Grandma.）
  4. 这尊雕塑表情生动，姿态自然，真是活灵活现。
    （This sculpture has such vivid expressions and natural posture; it is truly lifelike.）
  5. 别听他瞎编，他说得再活灵活现也不是真的。
    （Don't listen to his fabrications; no matter how convincingly he tells them, they aren't true.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • A common variant is 活龙活现 (huó lóng huó xiàn). While the meaning is identical, the use of 龙 (lóng - dragon) can sometimes add a more powerful or mystical nuance. This version appeared in the Ming Dynasty collection Stories to Caution the World (警世通言 - Jǐngshì Tōngyán).
  • In modern grammar, it often follows the particle 得 (de) to describe the result of an action, such as 说得 (shuō de - speaking) or 演得 (yǎn de - acting).
  • This idiom aligns with the traditional Chinese aesthetic principle of 气韵生动 (qì yùn shēng dòng), or 'Spirit Resonance,' which values capturing the inner life and energy of a subject over mere photographic accuracy.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

The idiom 活灵活现 (huó líng huó xiàn) describes something portrayed with such vitality and detail that it feels tangible. While it is usually a compliment for great art or storytelling, it can also be used ironically to describe someone telling a lie so convincingly that it sounds like the truth.

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