皮肤

• Pinyin: pí fū
• Hanzi breakdown: 皮 = pictograph of an animal hide; 肤 = 月 (flesh) + 夫 (man), human skin

Meaning

Skin. The outer covering of the body.

Used in skincare (皮肤护理), medicine (皮肤科 dermatology), and descriptions of appearance. Can describe skin condition: 皮肤好 (nice skin), 皮肤敏感 (sensitive skin), 皮肤黑/白 (dark/fair skin). Also used in gaming for character skins.

Examples

1. 她的皮肤白皙光滑，像婴儿一样。 Her skin is fair and smooth, like a baby's.
2. 冬天空气干燥，要注意保养皮肤。 In winter the air is dry, so pay attention to taking care of your skin.
3. 医生说这是一种常见的皮肤过敏。 The doctor said this is a common type of skin allergy.

Usage Guide

Context: health, beauty, appearance

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 皮肤干燥要多喝水。(Drink more water if your skin is dry.)
• 她很注重皮肤保养。(She pays a lot of attention to skincare.)

Don't Say

• 这个苹果的皮肤很红。(For fruit skin, use 皮 alone, not 皮肤; 皮肤 is for humans)

Origin & History

皮 (pí, skin/leather) + 肤 (fū, skin). Both characters mean skin; together they specifically refer to human skin.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal