翻脸

翻臉

fānliǎn

verb #18,992

Meanings

HSK 2

他们因为钱的事翻脸了。

Tāmen yīnwèi qián de shì fānliǎn le.

They fell out over money.

HSK 5

她说翻脸就翻脸，一点面子都不给。

Tā shuō fānliǎn jiù fānliǎn, yīdiǎn miànzi dōu bù gěi.

She turns hostile at the drop of a hat, giving no face at all.

memory

翻 (to flip) + 脸 (face) -- someone literally flips their face, going from friendly to hostile. The friendly face flips over to show an angry one.

usage

翻脸不认人 is a common extension meaning to turn hostile and refuse to acknowledge someone -- burning bridges completely.

翻 fān

脸 liǎn