扮相 (bàn xiàng) — the overall appearance (costume, makeup, look) of an actor in character, especially in Chinese opera

Definition

Noun for an actor's full stage appearance — costume, makeup, and styling as a character. Used especially for traditional Chinese opera roles; not for everyday dress or general looks.

noun
the overall appearance (costume, makeup, look) of an actor in character, especially in Chinese opera

Examples

  • ，扮相。
    Tā zài wǔ tái shàng chuān zhuó yì shēn hóng sè xì zhuāng, bàn xiàng fēi cháng huá lì.
    He wore a set of red opera costume on stage, and his stage appearance was very splendid.
  • 扮相。
    Zhè wèi yǎn yuán de bàn xiàng hěn yǒu gǔ diǎn qì zhì.
    This actor's stage appearance has a very classical temperament.
  • ，扮相。
    Suī rán tā yǎn de shì chǒu jué, dàn bàn xiàng hái shì ràng rén yìn xiàng shēn kè.
    Although she plays a clown role, her stage appearance is still impressive.

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.

扮bàndress up/act
相xiāngappearance

扮 refers to dressing up for a role and 相 means appearance, so the word names the look of an actor in costume and makeup.

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 →

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

In 相, 目 is an eye and 木 is a tree, showing an eye looking at a tree; this originally meant “to observe.”

Open 相 →

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