<p>衬= to match; to complement</p>
<p>托= to lift; to support</p>
<p><strong>衬托</strong>:(v) <strong>to complement and enhance</strong> ;(n) <strong>a complemental contrast</strong></p>
<p>~</p>
<blockquote>
<p>set off<br />
<a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/set%20off" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/set%20off</a></p>
<p><strong>show up by contrast</strong></p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-11-19T20:53:28.270Z
2016-11-19T20:53:28.270Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Tang Ho
<p>'foil' is very thin sheets of something, like aluminium foil used in the kitchen.</p>

<p>"The sense of "one who enhances another by contrast" (1580s) is from the practice of backing a gem with metal foil to make it shine more brilliantly." </p>

<p>So 'a foil' as a backdrop makes something appear better.</p>

<p>An ugly woman serves as a foil to a pretty girl.</p>

<p>In literature, a foil is a character who contrasts and accentuates another.</p>

<p>As a way of writing it just means separate some text from the main body of the text by some means such as more indent, italics, put in a text box or frame, bullets or numbering, different font or font colour or highlighting in order to make it stand out.</p>

<p>You should <strong>set</strong> this clause/paragraph <strong>off</strong> from the rest of the text.</p>

<p>A related word is feuilleton: 文艺​专栏, 小品​文章 </p>

<p>(originally) part of a French newspaper devoted to light literature and criticism (usually at the bottom of a page and <strong>separated</strong> by a rule), 1845, from French feuilleton (18c.), literally "a leaflet (added to a newspaper)," diminutive of feuille "leaf," from Latin folium.</p>

<p>I also found: 衬映: set off by contrast.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-11-20T00:57:01.077Z
Foil had this meaning because jewelers would put a small shiny foil backing on clear gem stones (not aluminum foil but special foil for the purpose).
Colin McLarty
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-11-20T01:27:05.027Z
Colin, I think you'll find that in 1580, when this sense of foil evolved, nobody had ever even heard of aluminium!
Gangosa
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-11-19T23:42:36.273Z
2016-11-19T23:42:36.273Z
Gangosa
<p>The dictionary says is 'set off' or 'serve as a foil'.</p>

<p>But what I mean is the 写作手法 '衬托'， is there such word in English?</p>

<p>Thank you!</p>

<word-requests>
How to say 衬托 in English?
# How to say 衬托 in English?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-11-19)

The dictionary says is 'set off' or 'serve as a foil'.

But what I mean is the 写作手法 '衬托'， is there such word in English?

Thank you!

**Tags:** word-requests


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2016-11-19. Score: 3

衬= to match; to complement

托= to lift; to support

**衬托**:(v) **to complement and enhance** ;(n) **a complemental contrast**

~

> set off  
> <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/set%20off>
>
> **show up by contrast**


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### Answer by username_2 on 2016-11-19. Score: 2

'foil' is very thin sheets of something, like aluminium foil used in the kitchen.

"The sense of "one who enhances another by contrast" (1580s) is from the practice of backing a gem with metal foil to make it shine more brilliantly."

So 'a foil' as a backdrop makes something appear better.

An ugly woman serves as a foil to a pretty girl.

In literature, a foil is a character who contrasts and accentuates another.

As a way of writing it just means separate some text from the main body of the text by some means such as more indent, italics, put in a text box or frame, bullets or numbering, different font or font colour or highlighting in order to make it stand out.

You should **set** this clause/paragraph **off** from the rest of the text.

A related word is feuilleton: 文艺​专栏, 小品​文章

(originally) part of a French newspaper devoted to light literature and criticism (usually at the bottom of a page and **separated** by a rule), 1845, from French feuilleton (18c.), literally "a leaflet (added to a newspaper)," diminutive of feuille "leaf," from Latin folium.

I also found: 衬映: set off by contrast.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Foil had this meaning because jewelers would put a small shiny foil backing on clear gem stones (not aluminum foil but special foil for the purpose).  
> **username_2**: username_3, I think you'll find that in 1580, when this sense of foil evolved, nobody had ever even heard of aluminium!  

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