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本来面目 (běn lái miàn mù) — original appearance, true nature (of a person or thing)

Definition

A set phrase (chengyu-style) meaning a person's or thing's 'true nature / original face' — what's really underneath the surface. Often used when a hidden reality is finally exposed, as in 暴露本来面目.

noun
original appearancetrue nature (of a person or thing)

Examples

  • ，本来面目。
    Shí jiān yì cháng, tā de běn lái miàn mù jiù bào lù chū lái le.
    Given time, his true colors came out.
  • 本来面目。
    Wǒ men yào tòu guò xiàn xiàng kàn dào shì wù de běn lái miàn mù.
    We must see the true nature of things through the appearances.
  • 本来面目。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng jiē shì le shè huì dǐ céng de běn lái miàn mù.
    This film reveals the true face of the bottom of society.

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.

本来original source
本běnoriginal来láisource
联合Coordinate
面目face
面miànface目mùeye
联合Coordinate

本 and 来 both point to the original source, while 面 and 目 give face and eyes.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

本 adds a stroke at the bottom of a tree shape to mark the roots, giving the sense of foundation or original.

Open 本 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 來; 来 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 來 shows a wheat plant: a central ear, upward leaves, and downward stem and roots. The simplified 来 is a later shorthand.

Open 来 →

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 →

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

目 began as a drawing of a human eye, turned sideways.

Open 目 →
Appears in
Abstract ConceptsIdioms & Set Phrases

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