1.
to appear; to show oneself; to come into view
Describes someone or something becoming visible, often after being absent, hidden, or anticipated. Used for both physical appearances and figurative emergence.
雲の間から月が姿を現した。
The moon appeared from between the clouds.
犯人はまだ姿を現していない。
The culprit has not yet shown himself.
駅前に新しい高層ビルが姿を現し、街の景色がすっかり変わった。
A new high-rise building appeared in front of the station, and the scenery of the town completely changed.
USAGE:
A set phrase combining 姿 (figure, form) with 現す (to reveal). Often used in narrative and news contexts to describe someone or something coming into view. The subject can be a person, animal, building, or natural phenomenon.
CONTRAST:
- 姿を消す: to disappear — the opposite expression, meaning to vanish from sight
- 現れる: to appear — a simpler, single-verb alternative without the nuance of revealing a full figure