哭丧着脸 (kū sang zhe liǎn) — (set phrase) to put on a long face; to wear a sad or mournful expression

Definition

A vivid, colloquial set phrase meaning 'to wear a long face / look sulky or mournful.' The 得/着 particle stays fixed — do not insert an object between 哭丧 and 着.

verb
(set phrase) to put on a long faceto wear a sad or mournful expression

Examples

  • ，哭丧着脸。
    Tā kǎo shì méi kǎo hǎo, huí dào jiā yì zhí kū sang zhe liǎn.
    He didn't do well on the exam and kept a long face all the way home.
  • 哭丧着脸，。
    Lǎo bǎn jīn tiān yì zhí kū sang zhe liǎn, wǒ men dōu bù gǎn shuō huà.
    The boss has been wearing a frown all day, so none of us dare to speak.
  • 哭丧着脸？？
    Nǐ wèi shén me zǒng shì kū sang zhe liǎn? fā shēng shén me shì le?
    Why are you always pulling a long face? What happened?

Origin

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
吅吅xuānto speak loudly
Sound part声符shēngfú
獄
獄yù哭kū
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Early 哭 showed 吅, loudly, above a long-haired person; that lower part later became dog-like shapes. Later, 哭 was analyzed as 吅 plus 獄 for sound.

Open 哭 →

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 喪; 丧 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
㗊㗊㗊many mouths
Sound part声符shēngfú
桑
桑sāng喪sàng
Same sound today

The traditional form 喪 originally paired 桑 (mulberry tree) with 㗊 (many mouths). The simplified 丧 is the modern form, deriving from a form that used 哭 (cry) and 亡 (die).

Open 丧 →

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 著; 着 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艸艸cǎograss; plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
者
者zhě著zháo
Same sound today

The traditional form 著 puts 艸 (grass; plant) above 者, which gives the sound; the simplified 着 is a later shorthand.

Open 着 →

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 →

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