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化妆师 (huà zhuāng shī) — make-up artist, cosmetics artist; (figurative) spin doctor, public relations expert

Definition

Literally 'make-up artist.' Figuratively used for a spokesperson who carefully shapes the public image of a politician or organization — like a 'spin doctor.'

noun
make-up artistcosmetics artist(figurative) spin doctorpublic relations expert
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 化妆师，。
    Nà wèi huà zhuāng shī jì shù hěn hǎo, gěi míng xīng huà le yí gè piào liang de zhuāng.
    That make-up artist is very skilled; she did a beautiful makeup look for the celebrity.
  • 化妆师，。
    Zhè wèi zhèng fǔ fā yán rén shì zhuān yè de huà zhuāng shī, shàn yú chǔ lǐ wēi jī.
    This government spokesperson is a professional spin doctor, good at handling crises.
  • 化妆师。
    Diàn yǐng pāi shè xiàn chǎng xū yào hěn duō huà zhuāng shī.
    A film set needs many make-up artists.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

化妆make up
化huàmake妆zhuāngmakeup
动宾Verb + object
师shīartist

化妆 covers the makeup work, and 师 names the artist doing it.

Characters in this word

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

化 shows two person figures, one upright and one upside down, to give the idea of reversal or change.

Open 化 →

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 妝; 妆 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
女女nǚfemale
Sound part声符shēngfú
爿
爿pán妝zhuāng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The form 妝 combines 女, meaning female, with 爿 as a sound part; this describes 妝, not the simplified 妆.

Open 妆 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 師; 师 is its simplified writing.

  • 𠂤𠂤𠂤
  • 帀帀zā

The traditional form 師 combines 𠂤 and 帀; the simplified 师 is not the form explained here.

Open 师 →
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