syun3 jim5渲染
Jyutpingsyun3 jim5
Yalesyun yíhm
Definition
To add ink or color washes in Chinese painting, or figuratively to exaggerate or sensationalize.
- technicalto apply washes of ink or color to a painting
- figurativeto sensationalize, play up, or exaggerate a story or news
writtendescriptionscommunication
How it's used
Originally a technical term for applying ink washes in traditional Chinese painting, the word has evolved to describe the act of embellishing or sensationalizing a narrative. When used figuratively, it implies adding layers of detail or emotion to a story to influence how the audience perceives it, often with a slightly negative connotation of exaggeration.
Examples
He played up the story in such an exaggerated way.
The wash effect in this painting is very natural.
Related words
Common phrases
to build up the atmosphere
to over-sensationalize
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 誇張, which simply means to exaggerate. 渲染 specifically implies the process of building up that exaggeration layer by layer, much like adding successive washes of ink to a canvas.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
