印堂 (yìn táng) — (physiognomy) the space between the eyebrows, associated with luck and fortune

Definition

In Chinese physiognomy (面相), 印堂 is the spot between the eyebrows, read for clues about a person's current fortune. Darkening is read as bad luck; a bright, clear area signals good fortune ahead.

noun
(physiognomy) the space between the eyebrowsassociated with luck and fortune

Examples

  • 印堂，。
    Tā zuì jìn yìn táng fā hēi, hǎo xiàng yùn qì bú tài hǎo.
    His brow area has darkened recently — seems like his luck isn't great.
  • 印堂，。
    Suàn mìng de shuō tā yìn táng fā liàng, zuì jìn huì yǒu hǎo shì.
    The fortune teller said his brow area is bright, so good things will happen soon.
  • 印堂，？
    Nǐ de yìn táng yǒu diǎn fā hóng, shì bu shì zuó wǎn méi shuì hǎo?
    The area between your eyebrows looks a bit red — did you not sleep well last night?

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

印yìnseal
堂tánghall

印 is the seal or mark, 堂 is the hall or space; the name pictures the brow area as the hall of the seal.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 爪爪zhuǎhand
  • 卩卩jiékneeling person

印 pairs 爪 (hand) with 卩 (kneeling person), showing a hand pressing down on a kneeling person.

Open 印 →

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
土土tǔ
Sound part声符shēngfú
尚
尚shàng堂táng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

堂 uses 土 as a ground/earth part and 尚 for sound.

Open 堂 →

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