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面具 (miàn jù) — mask (physical covering for the face); mask, façade, pretense

Definition

Literally 'face + implement,' 面具 means a physical mask (Halloween, theater, skiing) and by extension a figurative 'mask, façade' — a false front someone wears. Use 戴 for putting one on.

noun
mask (physical covering for the face)maskfaçadepretense
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • ，面具。
    Wàn shèng jié de shí hou, tā dài le yí gè kě pà de miàn jù.
    During Halloween, he wore a scary mask.
  • 面具，。
    Tā zǒng shì dài zhe yǒu hǎo de miàn jù, qí shí xīn lǐ hěn shēng qì.
    She always puts on a friendly mask, but inside she's very angry.
  • 面具。
    Wǒ zài shāng diàn lǐ mǎi le yí gè hēi sè de miàn jù.
    I bought a black mask at the store.

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.

面miànface
具jùimplement

面 refers to the face, 具 to an implement or covering, together a face-covering mask.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

面 originally drew a man’s face, with one eye exaggerated; the horizontal stroke was added later.

Open 面 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

具 pairs 廾 (two hands) with 鼎 (a cauldron), showing hands working with a cauldron to prepare food.

Open 具 →
Appears in
Miscellaneous Objects5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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