圆脸 (yuán liǎn) — coll. save sb.'s face; round face

Definition

Literal meaning is 'round face' (a face shape), but in modern usage 圆脸 is colloquial shorthand for 圆场 — meaning to smooth things over or save someone's face in a social situation.

verb
coll. save sb.'s faceround face

Examples

  • 圆脸，。
    Tā chū lái yuán liǎn, huà jiě le gān gà.
    He came out to save face and defused the awkwardness.
  • 圆脸。
    Lǐng dǎo qǐng tā qù yuán liǎn.
    The boss asked him to go save face.
  • 圆脸。
    Nǐ yuán liǎn de fāng shì bú duì.
    Your way of saving face is wrong.

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.

圆yuánround
脸liǎnface

圆 gives round and 脸 gives face, together describing a face that is round.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 圓; 圆 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
囗囗wéi
Sound part声符shēngfú
員
員yuán圓yuán
Same sound today

This is about the traditional form 圓, not the simplified 圆. In 圓, 囗 surrounds 員, and the inner part of 員 is an old circle picture.

Open 圆 →

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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