To capture the very essence and spirit of a person or subject in a painting or literary description, making it remarkably lifelike and expressive, often implying that the key lies in a specific detail, like the eyes.
这位作家笔下的人物栩栩如生，每一句描写都传神阿堵，令人印象深刻。
The characters penned by this writer are vividly lifelike; every description captures their essence so profoundly, leaving a deep impression.
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Synonym:
Story:
During the Jin Dynasty, Gu Changkang (also known as Gu Kaizhi), a renowned painter, would sometimes paint human figures for years without adding the eyes.
When questioned about this, Gu Changkang explained, "The beauty or ugliness of the limbs and body is inherently unrelated to the spirit and charm. To make a portrait truly capture the essence (", referring specifically to the eyes." (传神), the key lies in 'these' (阿堵)
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