/pɔ:ˈtreɪ ||; pɔrˈtre/verb[T] 1 to show sb/sth in a picture; to describe sb/sth in a piece of writing 用图画表现；用文字描述；描绘；刻划: Zola portrayed life in 19th-century France. 佐拉描述了19世纪法国的生活。
2 portray sb/sth as sth to describe sb/sth in a particular way 以某种方式描写: In many of his novels life is portrayed as being hard. 他的很多小说都把人生描绘成很艰辛的。
3 to act the part of sb in a play or film （在戏剧或电影中）扮演，饰演:
In this film she portrays a very old woman. 她在这部电影中扮演一个老太太。 ➔portrayal /pɔ:ˈtreɪəl ||; pɔrˈtreəl/ noun [C]