Definition
神似 means 'to resemble in spirit or essence' rather than in outward appearance. It's a stative verb (s.v.) used to describe when two things share an intangible quality — a painting that captures the subject's character, a performance that feels true to the original, or a copy that gets the 'vibe' right even if the details differ. The opposite is 形似 (xíng sì), which means 'to resemble in form or shape'.
s.v.
to resemble closely in spirit or essence (rather than in appearance)
Examples
- ，神似。Zhè fú huà suīrán jiǎndān, dàn fēicháng shén shì.This painting is simple, but it captures the spirit perfectly.
- 神似。Tā de biǎoyǎn hé yuánbǎn rénwù hěn shén shì.His performance closely resembles the original character in spirit.
- 神似。Zhège fǎngzhìpǐn xíng sì ér shén shì bùzú.This imitation looks similar but lacks the spiritual resemblance.
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