I've always thought of `姿` as a physical form or shape, but I came across this
passage from my book:

> 彼らの話から浮かびあがってきたのは、・・・・・{この人}の **姿** だった。

(I took just took out some descriptions of the woman they're talking about
that aren't really relevant [that I can tell, anyway].)

I imagine that I've got the meaning of the sentence--that these guys are
talking about this person--but what exactly does `姿` here represent? In the
story, these guys are trying to track down a woman, but at this point they
haven't seen actually seen her, only heard about her from rumors, etc.. Is `姿`
this sort of _image_ they have of her? Is it sort of a representation of who
she is, and not her physical person?

More importantly, is this a common usage of `姿` or more literary?
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usage
How figurative can 姿 be?
[This is meant to be a practical rather an academic answer, intended for
fellow students]

As the above comment helpfully says, the usage you found is not particularly
unusual or literary.

I can't comment on how _extreme_ the use of 姿 gets in a literary context but
_if, like me, you are trying to grasp the breadth of its normal use over and
above its familiar use as "figure" or "appearance"_ then I think the easiest
way is know a few key sentences (or at least this is what I am doing). I made
a point of remembering and then focus on grasping the following few:

> 本来の姿 | proper state / real character
>
> 母の姿が目に浮かぶ | my late mother comes to mind (note context)
>
> 〜姿を見せる｜appear on the scene

And, as it was an important word to understand, being alert for new/variations
on these.

I put the following list together using some more of my own examples and the
Apple dictionary (which seems close to Daijisen in content)

**1 外見，身なり/appearance:**

> 男の子はみすぼらしい姿をしていた｜The boy was shabbily dressed.
>
> ___________________に姿をやつす｜disguise oneself as_______

**2 体の格好/figure**

> 母の姿が目に浮かぶ | my late mother comes to mind (note context)
>
> トムは後ろ姿がジムにそっくりだ｜When seen from behind, Tom looks exactly like Jim.

**3 人の目に映る体，その人/"sightings of a person"**

> あれっきり彼は姿を見せない｜We have seen nothing of him since. /That was the last we saw
> of him.
>
> 彼は姿を隠した［くらました］｜He went into hiding.

**4 物の形/shape of an object**

> 間もなく湖が姿を現した｜Soon the lake showed itself [came in view].
>
> 太陽が何日も姿を見せなかった｜The sun remained [stayed] hidden for days.

**5 ありさま，様子/condition, circumstances**

> 本来の姿 | proper state / real character
>
> それが民主国家の本当の姿だ｜That is what a democratic country should be like.
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answer