劈头盖脸 (pī tóu gài liǎn) — (idiom) right in the face; directly and forcefully (of criticism, scolding, or attack)

Definition

An idiom meaning 'right in the face' — used when criticism, questions, or blows come down suddenly and forcefully, leaving no chance to respond.

idiom
right in the facedirectly and forcefully (of criticism, scolding, or attack)

Examples

  • 劈头盖脸。
    Lǎo bǎn yí jìn mén jiù pī tóu gài liǎn dì bǎ tā mà le yí dùn.
    The boss, as soon as he entered, scolded him right in the face.
  • 劈头盖脸，。
    Jì zhě men pī tóu gài liǎn dì tí wèn, ràng tā cuò shǒu bù jí.
    The reporters fired questions directly at him, catching him off guard.
  • 劈头盖脸，。
    Tā pī tóu gài liǎn dì pī píng le zhè xiàng jì huà, háo bù liú qíng.
    He criticized the plan right in the face, without mercy.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

劈头split the head
劈pīsplit头tóuhead
动宾Verb + object
盖脸cover the face
盖gàicover脸liǎnface
动宾Verb + object

'劈' splits '头' and '盖' covers '脸', so something comes straight at a person.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
刀刀dāoknife
Sound part声符shēngfú
辟
辟pì劈pī
Same sound today

劈 combines 辟, which gives the sound pì, with 刀, a knife, for cutting or splitting.

Open 劈 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 頭; 头 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yèhead
Sound part声符shēngfú
豆
豆dòu頭tóu
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 頭 shows 頁, meaning head, beside 豆 as a sound component; the simplified 头 is a later shorthand.

Open 头 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 蓋; 盖 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艸艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
盍
盍hé蓋gài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 蓋 pairs 艸, grass, with 盍 for sound. It was a thatch, and it took on cover meanings after 盍 was borrowed for “why not”.

Open 盖 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 臉; 脸 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺼Written in full as肉ròubody part
Sound part声符shēngfú
僉
僉qiān臉liǎn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 臉 combines ⺼ (肉, body part) with 僉 as a sound part; the simplified 脸 is a later abbreviation.

Open 脸 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.