刻画 (kèhuà) — to portray; to delineate
HSK 5 | verb | to portray with precision; to carve out a character or image
刻画 (kèhuà)
刻画 means to portray or delineate a character, image, or scene with precision and depth, as if carving it into sharp relief, and is especially used in literary and artistic criticism.
Meanings
- [verb] to portray; to delineate; to depict with precision
- [verb] to characterize (a person or role) with skillful detail
Example Sentences
作家用精准的笔法刻画了一个复杂而真实的人物形象。 Zuòjiā yòng jīngzhǔn de bǐfǎ kèhuàle yī gè fùzá ér zhēnshí de rénwù xíngxiàng. The writer portrayed a complex and authentic character with precise technique.
这部电影出色地刻画了战争中普通人的悲剧命运。 Zhè bù diànyǐng chūsè de kèhuàle zhànzhēng zhōng pǔtōng rén de bēijù mìngyùn. This film skillfully delineated the tragic fate of ordinary people in war.
演员对角色的刻画令观众印象深刻。 Yǎnyuán duì juésè de kèhuà lìng guānzhòng yìnxiàng shēnkè. The actor's portrayal of the role left a deep impression on the audience.
这首诗以简练的语言刻画了一位饱经沧桑的老人形象。 Zhè shǒu shī yǐ jiǎnliàn de yǔyán kèhuàle yī wèi bǎo jīng cāngsāng de lǎorén xíngxiàng. This poem used concise language to portray the image of a weathered old man.
他在文章中入木三分地刻画了官场的腐败现象。 Tā zài wénzhāng zhōng rùmùsānfēn de kèhuàle guānchǎng de fǔbài xiànxiàng. In his article, he incisively delineated the corruption in officialdom.
这幅雕塑刻画了一名母亲保护孩子的动人场景。 Zhè fú diāosù kèhuàle yī míng mǔqīn bǎohù háizi de dòngrén chǎngjǐng. This sculpture depicted a moving scene of a mother protecting her child.
Collocations
| Collocation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 刻画人物 (kèhuà rénwù) | portray a character |
| 细致刻画 (xìzhì kèhuà) | meticulously portray |
| 入木三分地刻画 (rùmùsānfēn de kèhuà) | incisively portray |
| 刻画形象 (kèhuà xíngxiàng) | shape an image |
| 刻画场景 (kèhuà chǎngjǐng) | depict a scene |
| 深刻刻画 (shēnkè kèhuà) | profoundly portray |
Usage Notes
刻画 suggests a level of craft and precision beyond ordinary description, as if the artist is carving the image into lasting form. The metaphor of carving (刻, to engrave) implies deliberate effort and enduring clarity. It is most at home in literary criticism and artistic analysis, especially when describing how authors or artists render characters.
Compared with 描绘 (miáohuì, to depict), 刻画 emphasizes the sharpness and depth of characterization rather than the visual richness of a scene. The chengyu 入木三分 (literally "entering three inches into the wood") is often paired with 刻画 to mean portraying something with incisive depth.
Memory Hook
KE (刻, to carve/engrave) + HUA (画, to draw/paint) = to carve and paint an image into sharp, lasting relief.