Chinese word

脸

Pronunciation

Pinyinliǎn

Meaning

  • nounface

Example

他洗了脸才出门。tā xǐ le liǎn cái chū mén

He washed his face before going out.

Illustration for 脸 (face)

More examples

他有点害羞，听到称赞时脸就红了。tā yóu diǎn hài xiū tīng dào chēng zàn shí liǎn jiù hóng le

He is a little shy, and his face turned red when he heard the compliment.

Core concept

The front of the head where a person's features and expression appear, and which can also represent personal dignity.

Common phrases

  • 摸脸mō liǎn

    touch one's face

  • 笑脸xiào liǎn

    smiling face

Similar words

表情biǎo qíng: A person's visible facial look that shows feelings such as joy, anger, or sadness.
脸色liǎn sè: A person's facial color and look as signs of mood or health.

Definition in Chinese

人体面部的部位，包含眉眼鼻口等五官以及由此显现的表情；口语中也常用来泛指颜面或面子。rén tǐ miàn bù de bù wèi bāo hán méi yǎn bí kǒu děng wǔ guān yǐ jí yóu cǐ xiǎn xiàn de biǎo qíng kóu yǔ zhōng yě cháng yòng lái fàn zhǐ yán miàn huò miàn zi

Word origin

The simplified character 脸 (liǎn, "face") uses the flesh radical, linking the word to the face as a body part while its meaning extends to expression and social dignity.

Usage tips

  • Chinese body-part nouns often omit possessive words when the owner is clear, so context can show whose face is meant without a separate word for "his" or "her".

Related words

Word lists with this word