油彩 (yóu cǎi) — theatrical makeup; greasepaint (especially for… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Stage/stage-style makeup in thick, oil-based pigment — the typical kind used in Chinese opera and theater. Used as a mass noun (化妆师正在用油彩…), not for counting individual sticks.

noun

theatrical makeupgreasepaint (especially for Chinese opera)

Examples

油彩。
Jīng jù yǎn yuán de yóu cǎi huà dé hěn xì zhì.
The Peking opera actor's makeup is painted very delicately.
油彩。
Huà zhuāng shī zhèng zài yòng yóu cǎi gěi yǎn yuán huà zhuāng.
The makeup artist is using greasepaint to put makeup on the actor.
油彩。
Zhè zhǒng yóu cǎi bù róng yì bèi hàn shuǐ nòng huā.
This kind of greasepaint doesn't smear easily from sweat.

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.

油 gives the oily quality and 彩 the colored paint.

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.

氵由油

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

由

由yóu油yóu

Same sound today

油 is built from 氵, a water part, and 由, which supplies the sound.

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

采彡彩

Meaning part形符xíngfú

彡彡shān

Sound part声符shēngfú

采

采cǎi彩cǎi

Same sound today

彩 puts 采, which gives the sound, next to 彡, the three-stroke mark that carries the meaning.

Appears in

Film & Theater Toiletries & Cosmetics

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