打扮

• Pinyin: dǎ ban
• Hanzi breakdown: 打 (action marker) + 扮 (dress up, play a role)

Meaning

To dress up; to make up; appearance.

Refers to getting dressed and groomed, often with attention to looking good. Can mean the process of dressing up or the resulting appearance. Can be used for oneself or for decorating/styling others or things.

Examples

1. 她每天早上都要花一个小时打扮。 She spends an hour getting ready every morning.
2. 今天有重要会议，你打扮得体面一点。 There's an important meeting today — dress more formally.
3. 看你这身打扮，是要去约会吧？ Looking at how you're dressed, you must be going on a date?

Usage Guide

Context: appearance, fashion, daily life

Tone: everyday

Do Say

• 你今天打扮得真漂亮。(You're dressed really nicely today.)
• 他不太在意打扮。(He doesn't care much about his appearance.)

Don't Say

• 对男性说'你打扮打扮'可能会让人觉得你嫌他邋遢——除非关系很近，否则委婉一点 (Telling a man 你打扮打扮 may imply he's sloppy — be tactful unless you're close)

Origin & History

Compound of 打 (action marker) + 扮 (to dress up, to play a role), together meaning to style oneself.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal