<p>This sentence has a lot of problems</p>
<ol>
<li><p>所 in 所衬托的 is not needed</p>
</li>
<li><p>的/dé/ in 衬托的 should be replaced with 得/dé/</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>(<em>another case of 的/dé/, 得/dé/, 地/dé/ confusion</em>)</p>
<ol start="3">
<li>衬托(to set off) is the wrong choice of word for &quot; contrast&quot;. It should be 对比 (compare/ contrast)</li>
</ol>
<blockquote>
<p>这位有名无实的超级英雄</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>[<strong>被</strong>]他所对抗的各路神通广大的反面角色[<strong>对比得</strong>]黯然失色</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>[be]......[contrasted] pale in comparsion</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Something that was being 衬托 (set off) is always shown in a positive way</p>
<ul>
<li>in this case, the so-call superhero is overshadowed by his powerful enemies = 被比较下来 (been compared down)</li>
</ul>
<p>Also, 反派角色 is better than 反面角色 here</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-04-23T00:02:52.597Z
Thank you. I was driving myself crazy trying to find out what that "的" was modifying in this sentence. Turns out it was just wrong. That's a bit worrysome, considering I got the sentence from zaojv.com, which I assumed to be a reliable site for practicing sentence reading.
AndrewO
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-04-23T03:13:08.020Z
There is a discussion on 的 pronounced as "di" rather then "de" in its spoken form. https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/318/why-is-%E7%9A%84-de-sometimes-pronounced-di-even-though-it-is-used-as-a-possessive-p
Wayne Cheah
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-04-22T10:27:26.790Z
2022-04-22T10:34:17.143Z
2022-04-22T10:34:17.143Z
Tang Ho
<p>Sympathy for superheroes!</p>
<p>I agree with Tang Ho, 友 should be 反 and you don't want 所衬托, just 衬托.</p>
<p>As for 的 or 得 or 地， Becky asked about this somewhere here (I'm useless at finding old threads). Someone answered:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Prior to the 1950s, many Chinese writers made no distinction between
的、地 or 得</p>
</blockquote>
<p>That may have led to the contentious 的。</p>
<p>这位有名无实的超级英雄<br />
This insubstantial superhero<br />
被他的所对抗的各路神通广大的反面角色衬托得黯然失色。<br />
was eclipsed by all of his opponents, each of whom possessed superior powers.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-04-23T00:54:49.167Z
2022-04-23T00:54:49.167Z
Pedroski
<p>I understand that the overall meaning is &quot;the titular superhero has been overshadowed by the myriad of powerful villains he has fought against,&quot; but I don't see the purpose off adding that &quot;所衬托的,&quot; and trying to translate that/see its function here in the sentence is driving me crazy.</p>
<p>I know that the meaning of 衬托 is to set off or serve as a foil to. This makes me think that it serves to modify the &quot;fought against&quot; or &quot;对抗&quot; part of the sentence, but I just am not sure, and do not know how to integrate 衬托 into the English translation specifically.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-04-23T08:45:54.693Z
It is actually a wrong sentence, or a 病句(sick sentence) in Chinese.
T-Pioneer
<translation>
In the sentence "这位有名无实的超级英雄被他所对抗的各路神通广大的反面角色所衬托的黯然失色," what is the function/meaning of "所衬托的"?
# In the sentence "这位有名无实的超级英雄被他所对抗的各路神通广大的反面角色所衬托的黯然失色," what is the function/meaning of "所衬托的"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-04-22)

I understand that the overall meaning is "the titular superhero has been overshadowed by the myriad of powerful villains he has fought against," but I don't see the purpose off adding that "所衬托的," and trying to translate that/see its function here in the sentence is driving me crazy.

I know that the meaning of 衬托 is to set off or serve as a foil to. This makes me think that it serves to modify the "fought against" or "对抗" part of the sentence, but I just am not sure, and do not know how to integrate 衬托 into the English translation specifically.

**Tags:** translation
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: It is actually a wrong sentence, or a 病句(sick sentence) in Chinese.  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2022-04-22. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

This sentence has a lot of problems

1. 所 in 所衬托的 is not needed
2. 的/dé/ in 衬托的 should be replaced with 得/dé/

(*another case of 的/dé/, 得/dé/, 地/dé/ confusion*)

3. 衬托(to set off) is the wrong choice of word for " contrast". It should be 对比 (compare/ contrast)

> 这位有名无实的超级英雄

> [**被**]他所对抗的各路神通广大的反面角色[**对比得**]黯然失色

> [be]......[contrasted] pale in comparsion

Something that was being 衬托 (set off) is always shown in a positive way

* in this case, the so-call superhero is overshadowed by his powerful enemies = 被比较下来 (been compared down)

Also, 反派角色 is better than 反面角色 here

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thank you. I was driving myself crazy trying to find out what that "的" was modifying in this sentence. Turns out it was just wrong. That's a bit worrysome, considering I got the sentence from zaojv.com, which I assumed to be a reliable site for practicing sentence reading.  
> **username_3**: There is a discussion on 的 pronounced as "di" rather then "de" in its spoken form. https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/318/why-is-%E7%9A%84-de-sometimes-pronounced-di-even-though-it-is-used-as-a-possessive-p  

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### Answer by username_4 on 2022-04-23. Score: 2

Sympathy for superheroes!

I agree with Tang Ho, 友 should be 反 and you don't want 所衬托, just 衬托.

As for 的 or 得 or 地， Becky asked about this somewhere here (I'm useless at finding old threads). Someone answered:

> Prior to the 1950s, many Chinese writers made no distinction between
> 的、地 or 得

That may have led to the contentious 的。

这位有名无实的超级英雄  
This insubstantial superhero  
被他的所对抗的各路神通广大的反面角色衬托得黯然失色。  
was eclipsed by all of his opponents, each of whom possessed superior powers.


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