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鼻青脸肿 (bí qīng liǎn zhǒng) — badly battered face; bruised and swollen face (from a beating or fall); (figurative) to suffer a severe defeat or setback

Definition

A vivid chengyu for a badly battered, bruised, and swollen face — usually from being beaten or falling. It also figuratively means suffering a crushing defeat or setback.

idiom
badly battered facebruised and swollen face (from a beating or fall)(figurative) to suffer a severe defeat or setback

Examples

  • 鼻青脸肿，。
    Tā bèi rén dǎ dé bí qīng liǎn zhǒng, kàn qǐ lái fēi cháng kě lián.
    He was beaten so badly that his face was bruised and swollen; he looked very pitiful.
  • 鼻青脸肿，。
    Zhè cì bǐ sài tā men shū dé bí qīng liǎn zhǒng, shì qì dà shòu dǎ jī.
    They lost the match so badly that they were battered and their morale took a huge hit.
  • 鼻青脸肿。
    Tā yīn wèi shuō cuò huà bèi lǎo bǎn mà dé bí qīng liǎn zhǒng.
    He was scolded by the boss so harshly for saying the wrong thing that he felt completely crushed.

Origin

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
自自zìnose
Sound part声符shēngfú
畀
畀bì鼻bí
Same sound today

鼻 pairs 自, meaning nose, with 畀, which gives the sound.

Open 鼻 →

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

An early form of 青 combined 生 and 井, both used for sound; the modern form has changed.

Open 青 →

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 腫; 肿 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
肉肉ròumeat, flesh
Sound part声符shēngfú
重
重zhòng腫zhǒng
Same sound today

The traditional form 腫 combines 肉 (flesh) with 重 as a sound part; the simplified 肿 is a later shorthand.

Open 肿 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

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