笑脸 (xiào liǎn) — smiling face | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

smiling face

Measure word · 副

笑脸。
Tā de liǎn shàng lù chū le càn làn de xiào liǎn.
A brilliant smiling face appeared on her face.
笑脸。
Zhè ge xiào liǎn biǎo qíng hěn kě ài.
This smiling face emoji is very cute.
笑脸。
Tā zǒng shì dài zhe yì zhāng xiào liǎn miàn duì kùn nan.
He always faces difficulties with a smiling face.

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.

笑 describes the expression on 脸, giving a face that smiles.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

艸

艸cǎo笑xiào

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

An early 笑 used the grass 艸 for the sound and the dog 犬 for the meaning; later it was written with 竹 and 夭.

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.

Appears in