の姿(すがた)Figure, Shape, Appearance, Looks, Wearing, Dressed in, Presence

When the noun 姿(すがた) 'figure' is used as a suffix, it describes the outward appearance of someone. This may be in relation to what the person is wearing, their overall shape, body type, or style. 姿(すがた) is often translated as '(A) looking', 'wearing (A)', 'clad in (A)', or 'performing (A)'.

姿(すがた) may be used after verbs in their attributive form, or after nouns followed by the case marking particle の.

• 昨日(きのう)初(はじ)めてお父(とう)さんが働(はたら)いている姿(すがた)を見(み)た。

  Yesterday was the first time I saw my father (his figure) working.
• 息子(むすこ)が悲(かな)しんでいる姿(すがた)を見(み)ると、私(わたし)まで悲(かな)しくなってくる。

  When I see my son in a sad state, it makes even me sad.
• さっき男(おとこ)の人(ひと)の姿(すがた)が見(み)えたけど、気(き)のせいかな。

  Earlier, I saw a man (his figure), but maybe I was seeing things.
• デパートで息子(むすこ)の姿(すがた)が見(み)えなくなって、少(すこ)しパニックになった。

  I lost sight of my son's presence at the department store, and it made me panic a little.

姿(すがた) is a word that focuses primarily on the way that someone appears to observer. Therefore, it is also often used to describe the observer's impression of who they are looking at, in regard to their presence, or lack thereof.

• 娘(むすめ)の歩(ある)く姿(すがた)が夫(おっと)に似(に)ている。

  The way my daughter walks looks just like my husband.
• 犬(いぬ)の寝(ね)ている姿(すがた)はとてもかわいい。

  The way my dog looks when he is sleeping is so cute.

Caution

After nouns, の will sometimes be omitted, but this is not always the case. In general, の may be dropped after kanji compounds, but not after simple words like 人(ひと), 時(とき), 元(もと), etc.

• やっとお前(まえ)の花嫁(はなよめ)姿(すがた)が見(み)れて嬉(うれ)しいよ。

  I am so happy that I can finally see you as a bride.
• シンデレラは１２(じゅうに)時(じ)になった瞬間(しゅんかん)に元姿(もとすがた)に戻(もど)った。

  As soon as it reached 12 oclock, Cinderella turned back into her original appearance.