容颜

• Pinyin: róng yán
• Hanzi breakdown: 容 = 宀 + 谷 (house + valley = face/appearance); 颜 = 彦 + 页 (elegant person + face = countenance)

Meaning

Appearance; countenance; a person's facial looks. Refers to the overall visual impression of a person's face, particularly in literary contexts.

A literary and slightly archaic term for a person's appearance, used primarily in written Chinese, poetry, and formal speech. Carries connotations of beauty or dignity. Associated with themes of aging (容颜老去 = one's looks fade). Rarely used in everyday conversation; prefer 外貌 or 长相 in spoken language.

Examples

1. 岁月流逝，她的容颜已不复当年模样，但那一双眼睛依然清澈而坚定。 As the years have passed, her face no longer looks as it did back then, but her eyes remain clear and resolute.
2. 画中人容颜绝美，神情安详，令无数观者驻足叹为观止。 The person in the painting has breathtaking beauty and a serene expression, leaving countless viewers stopping to marvel.
3. 英雄迟暮，容颜苍老，但胸中那一腔报国热血始终未曾消散。 Though the hero has grown old and his face has aged, the burning patriotism in his chest has never faded.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, poetry, formal writing

Tone: poetic

Do Say

• 诗人以深情细腻的笔触，描绘了她随岁月更迭而悄然变迁的容颜。(The poet used tender and meticulous brushstrokes to depict the quiet changes in her appearance as the years passed.)
• 历经磨难，他的容颜虽已苍老，但那从容不迫的气度犹存，令人肃然起敬。(Having endured many hardships, his countenance may have aged, but his unhurried bearing remains intact, commanding respect.)

Don't Say

• 她的容颜很普通 — 容颜 carries literary and elevated connotations; use 长相 or 外貌 for neutral everyday descriptions

Origin & History

容 (appearance/face) + 颜 (face/the colour of one's face = countenance)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal