形态 (xíng tài) — shape, form; pattern, morphology

Definition

形态 (xíngtài) is a formal, academic word for 'form, shape, pattern' — it emphasizes the overall structure or configuration of something, often in scientific or abstract contexts (e.g., morphology, social patterns). 形状 (xíngzhuàng) is the everyday word for a concrete physical shape; 样子 (yàngzi) is the most general word for 'appearance' or 'look'. 形态 is more technical than both.

noun

shapeformpatternmorphology

Examples

形态。
Shān de xíng tài xiàng yì zhī lǎo hǔ.
The shape of the mountain is like a tiger.
形态。
Shēngwùxuéjiā yánjiū le zhè zhǒng zhíwù de xíng tài.
Biologists studied the morphology of this plant.
，形态。
Suízhe jīngjì fāzhǎn, shèhuì xíng tài yě zài biànhuà.
With economic development, social patterns are also changing.

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