呈する

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 呈する is an irregular transitive verb read ていする, a formal expression meaning to present, exhibit, or take on a color, state, or aspect.
• Basic usage: Use 色を呈する for displaying a color and 様相を呈する for taking on a particular aspect.
  • 夕暮れの空は淡い紫色を呈していました。 describes the evening sky presenting a pale purple color; 議論が進むにつれ、問題は複雑な様相を呈するようになりました。 says that as the discussion proceeded, the problem came to take on a complicated aspect.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 色を呈する
  • を marks the color or state being exhibited; this use does not mean submitting an object to someone.
• 様相を呈するようになる
  • ようになる expresses a change into a state in which that aspect is displayed.
• 呈する and 見せる
  • 見せる broadly means to show something, while 呈する formally describes something as exhibiting a color or aspect.