脸 (liǎn) — face
Definition
脸 (liǎn) is the everyday spoken word for 'face' (as a body part). 面部 is the formal/written term used in medical or descriptive contexts; 面 overlaps in meaning but is more literary.
noun
face
Measure word · 张, 个
Examples
- 。Tā yǒu yì zhāng yuán liǎn.She has a round face.
- 脸。Wǒ měi tiān dōu yào xǐ liǎn.I wash my face every day.
- 脸。Nǐ de liǎn hěn piào liang.Your face is very pretty.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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.
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
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