Chinese word

长相

Pronunciation

Pinyinzhǎng xiàng

Meaning

  • nounlooks

Example

他的长相不太好看。tā de zhǎng xiàng bú tài hǎo kàn

His looks are not very attractive.

Illustration for 长相 (looks)

More examples

她的长相独特，很容易让人记住。tā de zhǎng xiàng dú tè hěn róng yì ràng rén jì zhù

Her distinctive looks make her easy to remember.

Core concept

The visible face that forms a person's first impression, including its overall features and look.

Common phrases

  • 长相好看zhǎng xiàng hǎo kàn

    good-looking

  • 长相端正zhǎng xiàng duān zhèng

    well-featured

  • 长相独特zhǎng xiàng dú tè

    distinctive-looking

Similar words

外貌wài mào: The full appearance visible from the outside, including facial features and body shape.
相貌xiàng mào: The shape of a person's face and the expression that appears on it.
容貌róng mào: The visible appearance of a person's face, including its expression.

Definition in Chinese

指人的面容和给人的第一印象，常用于评价容貌。zhǐ rén de miàn róng hé gěi rén de dì yí yìn xiàng cháng yòng yú píng jià róng mào

Word origin

The compound 长相 (zhǎngxiàng, "facial appearance") uses 长 (zhǎng, "to grow or develop") for how a person has grown to look and 相 (xiàng, "appearance") for the visible form.

Usage tips

  • English speakers may hear "looks" mainly as a judgment of attractiveness, but 长相 (zhǎngxiàng, "looks") can describe facial appearance neutrally, while a negative assessment still sounds personal.

Other meanings

  • facial featuresnoun
  • appearancenoun

Opposites

  • 内在美nèi zài měiinner beautynoun
  • 心灵美xīn líng měibeauty of the soulnoun

Word lists with this word