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旧貌变新颜

舊貌變新顏
jiùmàobiànxīnyán
phrase

Meanings

  1. 1 old appearance gives way to a new look
  2. 2 everything has taken on a fresh face
  3. 3 (lit.) the old visage has changed to a new countenance

Examples

改造后的老城区旧貌变新颜，吸引了不少游客。
Gǎizào hòu de lǎochéngqū jiù mào biàn xīn yán, xīyǐn le bù shǎo yóukè.
After renovation the old town has a brand-new look and draws plenty of tourists.
十年没回来，家乡旧貌变新颜，我几乎认不出了。
Shí nián méi huílái, jiāxiāng jiù mào biàn xīn yán, wǒ jīhū rèn bù chū le.
After ten years away, my hometown is utterly transformed — I barely recognize it.

Tips

history
From Mao Zedong's (毛泽东) 1959 poem 《七律·到韶山》 (Seven-Character Regulated Verse: Arriving at Shaoshan). The couplet is 『喜看稻菽千重浪，遍地英雄下夕烟。为有牺牲多壮志，敢教日月换新天』— though the exact phrase 『旧貌变新颜』 comes from his 《七律·送瘟神》二首 (Farewell to the Plague God): 『春风杨柳万千条，六亿神州尽舜尧……天连五岭银锄落，地动三河铁臂摇……借问瘟君欲何往，纸船明烛照天烧』with the companion line 『千村薜荔人遗矢，万户萧疏鬼唱歌……红雨随心翻作浪，青山着意化为桥』. The phrase has since become standard for celebrating transformation.
usage
Common in news and propaganda describing urban renewal, poverty alleviation, or any dramatic makeover — positive and slightly formal. 颜 here means 'face / appearance,' not color.

Stroke Order

旧 jiù
貌 mào
变 biàn
新 xīn
颜 yán