描 miáo to copy
to copy; to depict; to sketch; to trace
How to remember 描: 扌 hand + 苗 sprouts = to copy. In the garden the girl holds a pencil in her hand and studies the rice sprouts, trying to copy each leaf.
Component breakdown
描 = 扌 hand + 苗 sprouts
- 扌 hand
- 苗 sprouts
In the garden the girl holds a pencil in her hand and studies the rice sprouts, trying to copy each leaf.
How it is used
- 描述 miáoshù "to describe" is more literary/formal than everyday 说 or 讲.
- 描写 miáoxiě is specifically for literary description in essays and novels - 描写景色 "describe the scenery."
- 扫描 sǎomiáo "to scan" (a document, a barcode) extends the original "trace/sweep" sense into modern technology.