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打扮 (dǎ ban) — to dress up, to make up

Definition

打扮 is specifically about dressing oneself up (clothes, makeup, hairstyle) to look attractive. 装饰 and 美化 refer to decorating things or spaces, not people.

verb
to dress upto make up

Examples

  • 打扮。
    Tā měi cì chū mén dōu yào dǎ ban dé piào piào liang liang de.
    Every time she goes out, she dresses up beautifully.
  • 打扮。
    Nǐ jīn wǎn dǎ ban yí xià zài qù cān jiā wǎn huì ba.
    Dress up a bit before going to the party tonight.
  • 打扮，。
    Tā xǐ huan dǎ ban zì jǐ, kàn qǐ lái hěn yǒu jīng shén.
    She likes to dress herself up; it makes her look energetic.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
前缀qiánzhuìPrefix

A fixed syllable in front that adds a shade of meaning but carries none of its own.

打dǎ
扮bàndress/make up

打 here does not add a concrete action meaning; 扮 gives the sense of dressing or making up.

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng打dǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

打 uses 扌, a hand, to show an action done with the hand, and 丁 to give the sound.

Open 打 →

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
扌Written in full as手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
分
分fēn扮bàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

扮 pairs 扌 (hand, written in full as 手) with 分, which gives its sound.

Open 扮 →
Appears in
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