勾勒 (gōu lè) is a verb meaning 'to delineate' or 'to outline with precision'—often used in artistic, descriptive, or analytical contexts. The character 勾 means 'to hook' or 'to sketch lightly', while 勒 means 'to tighten' or 'to define sharply'; together, they evoke the image of carefully tracing contours to capture essential features without unnecessary detail. It implies intentionality and clarity, not just rough sketching but purposeful definition.

This word appears frequently in writing about art (e.g., sketching landscapes or animal forms), literary description (e.g., outlining a character’s personality), and scientific or observational contexts (e.g., describing animal morphology). Though it can be used literally for drawing, it’s equally common figuratively—for example, '勾勒出发展趋势' ('outline an emerging trend'). It carries a formal, slightly literary register and is rarely used in casual speech.