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脸红 (liǎn hóng) — to blush (with embarrassment or shyness); to flush (with anger or excitement)

Definition

A verb meaning to blush or flush, with the cause (embarrassment, anger, joy) usually clear from context. As a verb-object phrase, it pairs with 脸, not other body parts.

verb
to blush (with embarrassment or shyness)to flush (with anger or excitement)

Examples

  • ，脸红。
    Nǐ yì shuō, wǒ jiù liǎn hóng le.
    As soon as you said it, I blushed.
  • ，脸红。
    Tā tài shēng qì le, liǎn dōu liǎn hóng le.
    He was so angry his face turned red.
  • ，脸红。
    Tā kàn dào lǐ wù, gāo xìng dé liǎn hóng le.
    She flushed with joy when she saw the gift.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

脸liǎnface
红hóngred

脸 (face) and 红 (red) describe a face turning red, i.e. blushing.

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.

Open 脸 →

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 紅; 红 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
工
工gōng紅hóng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 紅 puts 糸 (silk) next to 工, which gives the sound; the simplified 红 is a later shorthand.

Open 红 →
Appears in
Body PartsEmotions & Feelings

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