Chinese word

爱面子

Pronunciation

Pinyinài miàn zi

Meaning

verbcare about saving face

Example

她不想丢人，所以很爱面子。tā bù xiǎng diū rén suó yǐ hěn ài miàn zi

She does not want to be embarrassed, so she cares a lot about saving face.

Illustration for 爱面子 (care about saving face)

More examples

他为了工作不惜丢脸，真的是一点也不爱面子。tā wèi le gōng zuò bù xī diū liǎn zhēn de shì yì diǎn yě bú ài miàn zi

He does not mind losing face for work and truly does not care about saving face at all.

Core concept

Public dignity becomes a visible standard that guides what a person says and does.

Common phrases

太爱面子了tài ài miàn zi le
care too much about saving face
不太爱面子bú tài ài miàn zi
not care much about saving face
爱面子文化ài miàn zi wén huà
a culture that values saving face

Similar words

讲面子jiǎng miàn zi: Try to look good and maintain a favorable public reputation in front of others.
顾面子gù miàn zi: Take social dignity into account and act tactfully to preserve someone's good standing.
在乎zài hū: Care about something enough to keep it in mind and be affected by it.
重视zhòng shì: Regard something as important and devote attention and effort to it.

Definition in Chinese

怕在别人面前丢脸，注重维护自己的尊严与体面，常为此调整说话或做事的方式。pà zài bié rén miàn qián diū liǎn zhù zhòng wéi hù zì jǐ de zūn yán yǔ tǐ miàn cháng wèi cǐ tiáo zhěng shuō huà huò zuò shì de fāng shì

Word origin

爱面子 (àimiànzi, "care about saving face") joins 爱 (ài, "love") with 面子 (miànzi, "social standing"), presenting public respect as something a person wants to keep.

Usage tips

Unlike English "pride," this word often focuses on other people's judgment and can explain why a speaker softens a refusal or avoids admitting a mistake in public.

Other meanings

try to look goodverb

Opposites

不顾面子bú gù miàn zinot care about losing faceverb