无形
wúxíng · HSK 7
invisible
👻 无 = without + 形 = shape; with no shape, a thing is invisible
无 means without or lacking, and 形 means form or shape. Something 无形 literally has no shape, so it cannot be seen — invisible. Compare 有形 (yǒuxíng), having form, the opposite.
无 — top 一 + 林-like middle + fire radical 灬 below
Originally a pictograph of a person dancing while holding ornaments or tassels, meaning 'to dance' — the ancestor of 舞. It was borrowed phonetically to write the negative 'not have / without,' and the dance meaning was reassigned to 舞 with an added foot element. The simplified form 无 comes from an ancient variant.
形 — open frame 开 + hair/pattern 彡
形 combines 开 (originally a phonetic element suggesting the sound) with 彡, a radical depicting fine lines, hair, or decorative strokes. The 彡 part conveys the idea of visible markings or surface appearance, giving 形 its core meaning of 'shape' or 'form.' Over time it broadened to cover physical figure, appearance, and abstract form.