Something that characterizes another thing is typical of it.是…的特征;为…所特有
Bright colours and bold strokes characterize his early paintings.明亮的色彩和大胆的笔触是他早期绘画作品的特征。
to describe something by stating its main qualities归纳…的特征;描述…的特性
In her essay, she characterizes the whole era as a period of radical change.她在文章中将整个时代的特征归纳为一个急剧变化的时期。