臉 meaning and stroke order
Face, cheek; reputation
How to write 臉, stroke by stroke
17 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 臉
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- face
How 臉 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Flesh.
⺼ gives the meaning and 僉 hints at the sound.
Radical: ⺼ (meat), shared by 176 characters on this site.
How to remember 臉
臉 combines the flesh radical ⺼, which marks body parts, with 僉 (qiān), which gives a hint of the sound. Picture the fleshy part of your body that everyone sees first: your face.
臉 (liǎn) is the everyday word for face, and it also means reputation or dignity, as in 丟臉 (diūliǎn, to lose face). It appears in many common words like 臉色 (liǎnsè, complexion) and 笑臉 (xiàoliǎn, smiling face). Example: 他的臉紅了。(Tā de liǎn hóng le.) His face turned red.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 臉 with 險 (xiǎn, danger) and 驗 (yàn, test), which share the 僉 part. Check the left side: only 臉 has the flesh radical ⺼, and it is third tone liǎn, not xiǎn.
Common words with 臉
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 臉色 | liǎnsè | complexion; look | HSK 5 |
| 臉盆 | liǎnpén | washbowl; basin for washing hands and face | HSK 5 |
| 笑臉 | xiàoliǎn | smiling face; smiley :) ☺ | HSK 6 |
| 丟臉 | diūliǎn | to lose face; humiliation | HSK 7-9 |
| 臉頰 | liǎnjiá | cheek | HSK 7-9 |
| 愁眉苦臉 | chóuméi-kǔliǎn | to look anxious (idiom); to look miserable | HSK 7-9 |
| 不要臉 | bùyàoliǎn | to have no sense of shame; shameless | |
| 臉蛋 | liǎndàn | cheek; face | |
| 臉紅 | liǎnhóng | to blush; to redden (with shame, indignation etc) | |
| 滿臉 | mǎnliǎn | across one's whole face | |
| 小白臉 | xiǎobáiliǎn | attractive young man (usually derog.); pretty boy | |
| 臉部 | liǎnbù | face | |
| 臉龐 | liǎnpáng | face | |
| 臉孔 | liǎnkǒng | face |
Questions about 臉
How many strokes are in 臉?
臉 is written with 17 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 臉 mean?
臉 (liǎn) means face, cheek; reputation. A common word with it is 脸色 (liǎnsè), meaning "complexion; look".
How do you pronounce 臉?
臉 is pronounced liǎn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 臉?
The radical of 臉 is ⺼, which carries the idea of "meat". Dictionaries list 臉 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 臉?
臉 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 脸, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 臉 and 面子?
臉 is the physical face and can also mean dignity in phrases like 丟臉. 面子 (miànzi) is used almost only for social face or reputation, as in 給面子 (gěi miànzi, to show someone respect).
How strong is 不要臉 as an insult?
不要臉 (bùyàoliǎn) means shameless and is quite harsh when said seriously. Between close friends it can be used jokingly, but avoid it with strangers or elders.