遮羞布 (zhē xiū bù) — fig leaf (metaphorically, something used to conceal a shameful truth); (rare, literal) loincloth

Definition

A metaphorical 'fig leaf' — a cover or excuse used to hide something shameful. The literal 'loincloth' sense is rare and historical.

noun
fig leaf (metaphorically, something used to conceal a shameful truth)(rare, literal) loincloth
Measure word · 块

Examples

  • 遮羞布，。
    Zhè fèn bào gào bú guò shì gōng sī de zhē xiū bù, yǎn gài le cái wù wèn tí.
    This report is nothing but the company's fig leaf, covering up financial problems.
  • 遮羞布，。
    Tā de dào qiàn zhǐ shì yí kuài zhē xiū bù, gēn běn méi yǒu chéng yì.
    His apology was just a fig leaf — there was no sincerity at all.
  • 遮羞布，。
    Gǔ dài rén yòng zhē xiū bù zhē tǐ, xiàn dài rén què yòng tā lái bǐ yù yǎn gài chǒu shì.
    Ancient people used a loincloth to cover their bodies, but modern people use it as a metaphor for covering up scandals.

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.

遮羞cover shame
遮zhēcover羞xiūshame
动宾Verb + object
布bùcloth

遮 covers 羞, and 布 is the cloth used for that.

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
辶Written in full as辵chuòroad
Sound part声符shēngfú
庶
庶shù遮zhē
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

遮 has 辶, a road-like part, and 庶 (shù, 'numerous'), which gives it its sound.

Open 遮 →

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
羊羊yáng
Sound part声符shēngfú
丑
丑chǒu羞xiū
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

羞 is built from 羊, a sheep, as the meaning part, and 丑 for the sound.

Open 羞 →

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
巾巾jīnkerchief
Sound part声符shēngfú
父
父fù布bù
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

布 pairs 巾, a kerchief, with 父 as a sound part.

Open 布 →

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