Definition
变相 is an adverb meaning 'in disguised form, covertly, implicitly'. It is used before verbs (or with 地) to indicate that an action is done in a hidden or indirect way. The word is formal and common in news, commentary, and legal contexts. The old art-historical sense ('Tang Buddhist painting style') is not relevant for modern learners.
adv.
in disguised formcovertlyimplicitly
Examples
- 变相。Gōngsī tōngguò jiàngdī gōngzī biàn xiàng bōxuē gōngrén.The company covertly exploited workers by reducing wages.
- 变相。Tāmen yòng zèngsòng lǐpǐn de fāngshì biàn xiàng shōufèi.They covertly charged fees through the guise of gift-giving.
- 变相。Zhè zhǒng guǎnggào biàn xiàng xuānchuán le bù jiànkāng de shēnghuó fāngshì.This advertisement covertly promotes an unhealthy lifestyle.
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