胭脂 (yān zhī) — rouge

Definition

Traditional cosmetic paste or powder used to redden the cheeks and lips — a literary/cultural word, not everyday makeup vocabulary.

noun
rouge

Examples

  • 胭脂，。
    Tā liǎn shàng cā le yì diǎn yān zhī, hěn hǎo kàn.
    She put a little rouge on her face, and it looks very nice.
  • 胭脂。
    Gǔ dài de nǚ rén cháng yòng yān zhī lái huà zhuāng.
    Women in ancient times often used rouge to put on makeup.
  • 胭脂。
    Zhè zhǒng yān zhī de yán sè hěn piào liang.
    This kind of rouge has a beautiful color.

Origin

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

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
月Written in full as肉ròumeat
Sound part声符shēngfú
旨
旨zhǐ脂zhī
Same sound today

The left 月 is meat, and the right 旨 gives the sound.

Open 脂 →
Appears in
Toiletries & Cosmetics

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