描摹 (miáomó) is a verb meaning 'to trace' or 'to copy meticulously', especially in the context of visual art, calligraphy, or detailed writing. The first character 描 (miáo) means 'to sketch' or 'to outline', often with light strokes; the second character 摹 (mó) means 'to imitate' or 'to copy faithfully', suggesting close replication. Together, they emphasize careful, line-by-line reproduction—not just copying content, but reproducing form, proportion, and nuance with precision.

This word is commonly used in artistic training (e.g., copying master paintings), literary description (e.g., vividly portraying a scene or emotion), and academic analysis (e.g., closely replicating historical documents). It carries a formal, slightly literary tone and implies dedication and attention to detail—unlike casual copying (复制 fùzhì) or rough sketching (草图 cǎotú). It’s rarely used in everyday spoken Chinese but appears frequently in art education, classical literature, and descriptive writing.