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满脸 (mǎn liǎn) — one's whole face (covered with or showing a certain expression or state)

Definition

A noun meaning 'all over the face' — usually modified by an expression or state (e.g. 满脸汗, 满脸惊讶) to show that emotion or condition covers the entire face.

noun
one's whole face (covered with or showing a certain expression or state)

Examples

  • 满脸。
    Tā xiào dé mǎn liǎn tōng hóng.
    She laughed so hard her whole face turned red.
  • 满脸，。
    Tā mǎn liǎn shì hàn, kàn qǐ lái hěn lèi.
    His face was covered in sweat, and he looked very tired.
  • ，满脸。
    Tīng dào zhè ge xiāo xi, tā mǎn liǎn jīng yà.
    Upon hearing this news, his face was full of surprise.

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.

满mǎnfull
脸liǎnface

满 'full' over 脸 'face' gives the whole face, as in an expression covering it.

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 滿; 满 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
㒼
㒼㒼滿mǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 滿 pairs 水, showing water, with 㒼, giving the sound. The simplified 满 is a later shorthand, not the original shape.

Open 满 →

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 →
Appears in
Body Parts

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