鼻子

• Pinyin: bí zi
• Hanzi breakdown: 鼻 = 自 (self, originally 'nose') + 畀 (phonetic); 子 (noun suffix)

Meaning

Nose. The organ on the face used for smelling and breathing.

Common body part vocabulary. Appears in expressions like 鼻子灵 (have a keen sense of smell), 牵着鼻子走 (led by the nose), and 碰一鼻子灰 (meet with a rebuff).

Examples

1. 她的鼻子又高又挺，很像她妈妈。 Her nose is high and straight, very much like her mother's.
2. 这种香水的味道很浓，闻着鼻子有点不舒服。 The fragrance of this perfume is very strong; smelling it makes my nose a bit uncomfortable.
3. 他总是被别人牵着鼻子走，没有自己的主见。 He's always led around by the nose by others and doesn't have his own opinions.

Usage Guide

Context: body parts, everyday, description

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你鼻子流血了。(Your nose is bleeding.)
• 他鼻子很灵敏。(He has a very sensitive nose.)

Don't Say

• 直接评论别人鼻子不好看——这在中国文化中也是不礼貌的 (Don't directly comment that someone's nose is ugly — this is also rude in Chinese culture)

Origin & History

The character 鼻 originally meant 'self' in ancient Chinese. 子 is a noun suffix.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal