肖

A phono-semantic compound, consists of:

肉 (flesh; body) — semantic component, indicates bodily form or physical appearance;

小 (small) — phonetic component, supplies the original pronunciation "so."

Thus the earliest sense suggests bodily likeness in small detail or resembling in physical form.

Semantic development:

- physical resemblance;

- imitation or modeling after;

- diminution (rare semantic branch).

The primary modern sense focuses on resemblance in form or character.

Highly productive in compounds relating to portraits and resemblance.

초상 (肖像) — portrait

불초 (不肖) — unworthy (literally “not resembling”)

초상화 (肖像畫) — portrait painting

상사불초 (相似不肖) — similar but not identical

肖 emphasizes:

- resemblance of physical form;

- likeness in visible appearance.

In compounds like 肖像, it refers specifically to visual representation.

Related characters:

似 — resemble

像 — likeness; image

模 — imitate; model

仿 — copy; imitate

貌 — appearance

Among these, 肖 most specifically conveys resemblance in bodily or visible form.

Classical usage:

不肖子孫 — “Unworthy descendants.”

惟妙惟肖 — “Wonderfully lifelike.”