脸型 (liǎn xíng) — face shape; facial contour | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

face shapefacial contour

Examples

脸型，。
Tā de liǎn xíng hěn hǎo kàn, xiàng guā zǐ yí yàng.
Her face shape is very nice, like a melon seed.
。
Zhè zhǒng fà xíng shì hé yuán liǎn xíng de rén.
This hairstyle suits people with a round face shape.
脸型。
Yǎn jìng de xuǎn zé yīng gāi gēn jù liǎn xíng lái jué dìng.
The choice of glasses should be decided based on face shape.

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.

脸 names the face, and 型 gives its shape or contour.

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.

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.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

刑土型

Meaning part形符xíngfú

土土tǔearth

Sound part声符shēngfú

刑

刑xíng型xíng

Same sound today

型 pairs 土 (earth) with 刑, which supplies the sound; the shape shows an earthen mold, hence form or pattern.

Appears in

Appearance Body Parts

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