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变脸

變臉
biànliǎn
verb #32,212

Meanings

  1. 1 to change face (Sichuan opera stunt of switching painted masks instantly)
  2. 2 to suddenly turn hostile
  3. 3 to change one's expression

Examples

HSK 3
他一听这话马上就变脸了。
Tā yī tīng zhè huà mǎshàng jiù biànliǎn le.
The moment he heard that, his face darkened.
HSK 7-9
川剧变脸是国家级非物质文化遗产。
Chuānjù biànliǎn shì guójiājí fēi wùzhì wénhuà yíchǎn.
Sichuan opera face-changing is a national-level intangible cultural heritage.
HSK 7-9
她刚才还笑着，转眼就变脸。
Tā gāngcái hái xiào zhe, zhuǎnyǎn jiù biànliǎn.
She was smiling a moment ago and turned hostile in a blink.

Tips

culture
On stage, 变脸 is a guarded Sichuan-opera secret: performers flick through painted silk masks so fast the audience can't see the swap. The figurative sense - to suddenly turn hostile - trades on exactly that startling shift from one face to another.

Stroke Order

变 biàn
脸 liǎn