魅影 (mèiyǐng): phantom

Meanings

1 phantom
2 ghostly figure
3 alluring shadow

Characters

魅

mèi

demon; charm; bewitch

影

yǐng

shadow; image

Examples

夜色中出现了一道神秘的魅影。

Yèsè zhōng chūxiànle yí dào shénmì de mèiyǐng.

A mysterious phantom appeared in the night.

她身上有一种难以言喻的魅影。

Tā shēnshang yǒu yì zhǒng nányǐ yányù de mèiyǐng.

There's an indescribable allure about her.

Tips

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Literary/cinematic. 魅 carries a sense of bewitching beauty as well as the supernatural, so 魅影 can mean a haunting phantom (歌剧魅影) or a captivating, fleeting silhouette.

In Pop Culture

歌剧魅影 Gējù Mèiyǐng

The Phantom of the Opera

Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1986 musical, hugely popular in Chinese-language productions

Stroke Order

魅 mèi

影 yǐng

Related Words

对影成三人 duìyǐngchéngsānrén

facing my shadow, we make three / with moon, shadow and self, a company of three / lit. facing shadow — become three people

阴影 yīnyǐng HSK 6 #4,330

shadow; shade / psychological shadow; trauma

起舞弄清影 qǐwǔnòngqīngyǐng

I rise to dance and play with my clear shadow / (fig.) a solitary, tipsy Mid-Autumn dance under the moon / (lit.) rise dance toy-with clear shadow

天光云影共徘徊 tiānguāngyúnyǐnggòngpáihuái

sky-light and cloud-shadow linger together / (fig.) an image of a clear pool mirroring the sky — and, symbolically, a pure mind reflecting all things / (lit.) sky — light — cloud — shadow — together — linger

鬼影 guǐyǐng #26,568

ghost / phantom / ghostly shadow / apparition

影子 yǐngzi HSK 4 #5,239

shadow / reflection / trace

影 yǐng #2,756

shadow; image / film; photograph

魅力 mèilì HSK 7 #2,267

charm / charisma / allure / appeal

灯影牛肉 dēngyǐngniúròu

lantern-shadow beef / paper-thin spiced dried beef (Sichuan Dazhou specialty)

含沙射影 hánshāshèyǐng

to spit sand at someone's shadow / to attack by innuendo / to make veiled, malicious insinuations