Chinese word

掩饰

Pronunciation

Pinyinyǎn shì

Meaning

  • verbconceal

Example

他一直在掩饰问题的严重性。tā yì zhí zài yǎn shì wèn tí de yán zhòng xìng

He has been concealing how serious the problem is.

Illustration for 掩饰 (conceal)

More examples

他试图用幽默掩饰内心的不安。tā shì tú yòng yōu mò yǎn shì nèi xīn de bù ān

He tried to conceal his inner unease with humor.

Core concept

A deliberate cover that hides an unwelcome reality while making it look less serious or more acceptable.

Common phrases

  • 掩饰情绪yǎn shì qíng xù

    conceal emotions

  • 掩饰眼泪yǎn shì yǎn lèi

    conceal tears

  • 掩饰缺点yǎn shì quē diǎn

    conceal shortcomings

Similar words

隐瞒yǐn mán: Keeps facts or information secret by choosing not to tell other people.
掩盖yǎn gài: Hides the truth or a problem by covering it so it cannot be seen.
粉饰fěn shì: Presents flaws or problems attractively to make them look more acceptable.
伪装wěi zhuāng: Alters an appearance or behavior to give a false impression of reality.

Definition in Chinese

有意通过行为或言语掩盖真实情况，使别人误以为没有问题。yǒu yì tōng guò xíng wéi huò yán yǔ yǎn gài zhēn shí qíng kuàng shǐ bié rén wù yǐ wéi méi yǒu wèn tí

Word origin

掩 (yǎn, "cover") + 饰 (shì, "decorate") combines covering something with making its surface look presentable, giving the word its sense of hiding an unwelcome reality behind a nicer appearance.

Usage tips

  • In everyday speech, the word often sounds critical because it suggests managing appearances instead of facing an uncomfortable fact.

Other meanings

  • gloss oververb

Opposites

Word lists with this word