Taxonomy of meanings for 態:　　

Additional information about 態

說文解字: 【態】，意也。从心、从能。 〔小徐本作「從心、能，姿之餘也。」〕 【徐鍇曰：心能其事，然後有態度也。】 【他代切】 【㑷】、或从人。

Criteria
• ATTITUDE
  

  [COLLECTIVE/INDIVIDUAL]

  [GENERAL/SPECIFIC]

  [LASTING/TEMPORARY]

  [PRECISE/VAGUE]

  1. The general word for the attitude of an individual or of a group of people is xīn 心, and the attitude denoted by this word may change in the course of time.

  [GENERAL], [VAGUE]

  2. Sù 素 is a basic attitude which is part of a single person's nature. This kind of attitude may change in extreme cases but is regarded as highly stable.

  [INDIVIDUAL], [LASTING]

  3. Tài 態 is a manifested personal or public attitude by an individual or a group which is taken to be momentary or temporary and there is no suggestion that it is essential to the person who has it.

  [TEMPORARY]

• APPEARANCE
  

  [[CURRENT/RARE]]

  [DELIBERATE/INVOLUNTARY]

  [DYNAMIC/STATIC]

  [OUTLINE/SURFACE]

  [SIGNIFICANT/SUPERFICIAL]

  1. Mào 貌 (ant. xīn 心 "real inner feelings") emphasises the merely external as less than indicative of what is inside, and this is the most general word.

  [GENERAL], [STATIC], [SUPERFICIAL]

  2. Sè 色 (ant. xīn 心 "real inner feelings") is external appearance, particular facial expression, expressive of or productive of feeling. Thus hǎo sè 好色 is the kind of appearance which, being attractive, causes men to feel attracted. Hào sè 好色 "love beautiful women" involves a different meaning of the word: "female beauty; sex".

  [SIGNIFICANT+], [VOLUNTARY!]

  3. Zhuàng 狀 "external shape" and xíng 形 "physical form" (ant. zhì 質 "real inner substance") emphasise three-dimensional appearance as such. See SHAPE

  [INVOLUNTARY], [STATIC], [SUPERFICIAL]

  4. Zī 姿 is rare and emphasises the dynamic gestural aspect of one's external appearance.

  [DYNAMIC], [DELIBERATE]; [[RARE]]

  5. Tài 態 views external appearance as a typically deliberate manifestation of an attitude or stance.

  [DELIBERATE], [DYNAMIC], [SIGNIFICANT]

  6. Róng 容 refers to the contours of a person, expecially the contours of his or her face. See FACE.

  [DYNAMIC], [OUTLINE]

  7. Wài 外 (ant. nèi 內 "inner reality") refers colourlessly and neutrally to outer apperance as opposed to inner reality.

  [OUTLINE], [STATIC]

  8. Xiàng 相 refers to the outward appearance of something as profoundly indicative of inward qualities (as in physiognomy).

  [INVOLUNTARY], [SIGNIFICANT], [STATIC]