describe

Compared meaning: to show or explain what something is like (verb).

比较义项：描绘、描述某事物的样子（动词）。

• depict

  Depict means to show or portray something, especially in a painting, film, sculpture, or vivid writing; it emphasizes visual or artistic representation and sounds formal outside art contexts.

  depict表示以绘画、影片、雕塑或生动的文字来展示或描绘某事物，强调视觉或艺术性的呈现，用在艺术以外的场合会显得比较正式。

  The mural depicts several key moments from the town's history.

  这幅壁画描绘了这个小镇历史上的几个重要时刻。

• describe 本词

  Describe means to say or write what someone or something is like, usually in words; it is the general everyday verb for giving details and works with speech, writing, and any topic, not just art.

  describe表示用言语说明或写出某人或某事物是什么样子，是日常最常用的说明方式，适用于口语、书面语及各种话题，不局限于艺术作品。

  Can you describe what the suspect was wearing?

  你能描述一下嫌疑人当时穿的衣服吗？

Depict and describe both mean to show what something is like. Depict is artistic and formal, often about a painting, film, sculpture, or vivid writing. Describe is the everyday word for giving details, in speech or writing, about any topic, not only art.

这两个词在此义项上意思相近，都表示“说明或呈现某事物是什么样子”，但侧重不同：depict偏向以图画、影片、雕塑或生动文字进行艺术性的描绘，语气较正式；describe是最普通、最常用的说明方式，口语书面均可，不限于艺术题材。