形

The outward, perceptible boundary or configuration of a thing; its contour, figure, or physical shape. It denotes the specific manifestation of a substance rather than the substance itself. In medical or philosophical contexts, it represents the physical vessel (the living body or corpse) in opposition to spirit (神). In linguistics and calligraphy, it refers to the graphical structure of a character.

Primarily used as a noun. It can function as a verb meaning "to take shape," "to manifest," or "to assume a configuration." In compounds such as 形色, the sense shifts toward demeanor or the physical manifestation of an internal emotional state.

• 形 vs. 象 (xiàng): Physical form or structural shape versus image, symbol, or resemblance.
• 形 vs. 貌 (mào): Structural and anatomical form versus countenance, facial expression, or general "look" (typically human).
• 形 vs. 體 (tǐ): Form versus the body as a whole or underlying substance/essence.

Tang-period sources record a reading of *heng (Fanqie: 戶經), primarily relevant for analyzing rhyme schemes or early phonetic glosses.