托腮

tuōsāi

verb

Meanings

1 to rest one's chin in one's hand
2 to prop up one's cheek (with the hand)

Characters

to hold up; to support

Examples

她托腮望着窗外，若有所思。

Tā tuōsāi wàng zhe chuāng wài, ruò yǒu suǒ sī.

She gazed out the window with her chin resting on her hand, deep in thought.

课上他常常托腮发呆。

Kè shàng tā chángcháng tuōsāi fādāi.

In class he often props his chin in his hand and zones out.

Tips

culture

A classic pose in Chinese painting and photography for someone deep in thought, daydreaming, or wistful. The closely related 沉思托腮 (chénsī tuōsāi, 'thinking with chin in hand') echoes Rodin's Thinker — Chinese essay writers often invoke the gesture for the same contemplative effect.

memory

托 (to hold up / prop up, like a tray) + 腮 (cheek). Your hand becomes a tray for your face.

Stroke Order

托 tuō

腮 sāi