character

/'kæriktə/
Học thuật
Thân thiện
character

A child draws a cartoon character on a piece of paper.

Definition
  1. Noun:

    • The mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual: The combination of traits and qualities that form the individual nature of a person.
    • A person in a novel, play, or film: An imaginary person represented in a work of fiction.
    • A printed or written letter or symbol: A single letter, number, or other mark used in writing or printing.
    • A characteristic, especially one that assists in identification: A distinctive quality or feature.
    • Reputation, especially good reputation: The collective qualities that earn a person public esteem.
  2. Verb (archaic):

    • To inscribe or write: To engrave or write letters or symbols.
Usage and Examples
  • Noun (Moral qualities):

    • Honesty and integrity are key aspects of her character.
    • The experience helped to build his character.
  • Noun (Fictional person):

    • The main character in the story is a young detective.
    • She developed the character's background in great detail.
  • Noun (Written symbol):

    • The password must be at least eight characters long.
    • This ancient script uses thousands of different characters.
  • Noun (Distinctive quality):

    • The old houses give the neighborhood its unique character.
    • The plan has a practical character.
  • Noun (Reputation):

    • He is a man of good character and is highly respected.
    • She defended her professional character against the accusations.
  • Verb (Archaic):

    • The stone was charactered with runic symbols.
Advanced Usage
  • "In character": Behaving in a way that is consistent with a person's established traits or a fictional role.

    • His generous donation was completely in character.
    • The actor stayed in character even off-stage.
  • "Out of character": Behaving in a way that is not consistent with a person's established traits.

    • It was out of character for her to be so rude.
  • "Character assassination": The malicious and unjustified harming of a person's good reputation.

    • The article was a vicious piece of character assassination.
Variants and Related Words
  • Characteristic (noun/adjective): A distinguishing feature or quality.
    • The ability to fly is a characteristic of birds.
  • Characterize (verb): To describe the distinctive nature of; to be a characteristic of.
    • The period was characterized by rapid innovation.
  • Characterless (adjective): Lacking distinctive or interesting qualities.
    • The building was a characterless concrete block.
Synonyms
  • Nature (for inherent qualities)
  • Personality (for individual traits)
  • Figure or Persona (for a fictional person)
  • Letter or Symbol (for a written mark)
  • Reputation or Standing (for public esteem)
Related Phrases and Idioms
  • A character reference: A statement about a person's qualities and suitability, often for employment.
    • My former boss provided a glowing character reference.
  • Character building: An experience that strengthens one's moral or mental qualities.
    • Many see team sports as a form of character building.
  • Judge someone's character: To form an opinion about someone's moral qualities.
    • He was good at judging a person's character quickly.
character

A child draws a cartoon character on a piece of paper.

Noun
  1. (genetics) an attribute (structural or functional) that is determined by a gene or group of genes
  2. a written symbol that is used to represent speech
    • the Greek alphabet has 24 characters
  3. a formal recommendation by a former employer to a potential future employer describing the person's qualifications and dependability
    • requests for character references are all too often answered evasively
  4. good repute
    • he is a man of character
  5. a person of a specified kind (usually with many eccentricities)
    • a real character
    • a strange character
    • a friendly eccentric
    • the capable type
    • a mental case
  6. an actor's portrayal of someone in a play
    • she played the part of Desdemona
  7. the inherent complex of attributes that determines a persons moral and ethical actions and reactions
    • education has for its object the formation of character- Herbert Spencer
  8. a characteristic property that defines the apparent individual nature of something
    • each town has a quality all its own
    • the radical character of our demands
  9. an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
    • she is the main character in the novel
Verb
  1. engrave or inscribe characters on