脸谱 (liǎn pǔ) — facial makeup or mask patterns in Chinese opera (particularly Peking opera), used to symbolize character traits

Definition

The stylized painted face designs in Chinese opera, especially Peking opera, where each color and pattern symbolizes a character's personality (red for loyalty, black for integrity, etc.).

noun
facial makeup or mask patterns in Chinese opera (particularly Peking opera), used to symbolize character traits
Measure word · 张

Examples

  • 脸谱，。
    Jīng jù de liǎn pǔ yán sè xiān yàn, měi zhǒng yán sè dōu yǒu tè bié de yì si.
    The facial makeup in Peking opera has bright colors, and each color has a special meaning.
  • 脸谱，。
    Tā huà le guān yǔ de liǎn pǔ, biǎo míng zhè ge jué sè shì zhōng chéng yǒng gǎn de.
    He painted Guan Yu's facial makeup, indicating that the character is loyal and brave.
  • ，脸谱。
    Wài guó rén cān guān jīng jù tuán shí, duì liǎn pǔ fēi cháng gǎn xìng qù.
    When foreigners visit a Peking opera troupe, they are very interested in the facial makeup.

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.

脸liǎnface
谱pǔpattern

脸 points to the face, and 谱 to patterns; together they name painted face patterns in opera.

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 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 →

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 譜; 谱 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánsound
Sound part声符shēngfú
普
普pǔ譜pǔ(r)
Same sound today

In the traditional form 譜, 言 relates to sound and 普 gives the pronunciation; this explanation is about 譜, not the simplified 谱.

Open 谱 →

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