打脸

• Pinyin: dǎ liǎn
• Hanzi breakdown: 打 (hit) + 脸 (face) -> metaphorically slap one's public image.

Meaning

To be proven wrong in an embarrassing way, especially after a confident claim.

It can be self-directed or used to criticize public predictions, boasts, and denials. The image is metaphorical and implies loss of face.

Examples

1. 我刚说不会下雨，十分钟后被打脸。 I just said it wouldn't rain, and ten minutes later I was proven wrong.
2. 销量公布后，质疑的人被打脸了。 After the sales figures were announced, the sceptics were proven wrong.
3. 别把话说太满，小心打脸。 Don't be too confident when you say things, or you might end up being proven wrong.

Usage Guide

Context: social media, comments, friends

Tone: mocking, cautionary

Do Say

• 预测错得明显时可说被打脸。（Use it when facts prove someone wrong.）

Don't Say

• 用于真实暴力事件时开玩笑。（Avoid joking around actual assault.）

Common Mistakes

• Using it for any failure; it usually follows a claim being disproved.

Origin & History

From the literal idea of hitting the face, extended to public embarrassment.

Cultural Context

Era: 2010s-2020s

Generation: Gen Z, Millennials, and mainstream internet users

Social background: Urban students, workers, and online communities

Regional notes: Connected to 面子 culture and internet receipts.