表白

• Pinyin: biǎo bái
• Hanzi breakdown: 表 = 衣 (clothing) + 毛 (fur) — outer layer, to express; 白 = pictograph of sun rising

Meaning

To confess (romantic feelings); to declare one's love.

Specifically refers to confessing romantic feelings to someone, a significant moment in Chinese dating culture. Can also more broadly mean to express one's true feelings or intentions. The romantic confession is a cultural milestone.

Examples

1. 他鼓起勇气向她表白，结果被拒绝了。 He gathered his courage to confess his feelings to her, but was rejected.
2. 她在毕业典礼上向暗恋多年的男生表白，全场都在鼓掌。 She confessed her love to the guy she'd had a crush on for years at the graduation ceremony — the whole audience applauded.
3. 表白失败不可怕，可怕的是永远不敢开口。 Failing at a confession isn't scary; what's scary is never having the courage to speak up.

Usage Guide

Context: romance, relationships, youth

Tone: emotional

Do Say

• 他终于表白了。(He finally confessed his feelings.)
• 你打算怎么表白？(How do you plan to confess your love?)

Don't Say

• 用表白形容普通表态 (In romantic contexts, don't use 表白 for ordinary statements — it specifically implies love confession)

Origin & History

表 (express) + 白 (clear/bright). To express clearly — to reveal one's heart.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal