Definitions

mào (noun) appearance; looks; expression

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and a remnant of represents the sound.

About

貌 is a phono-semantic compound with the animal radical 豸 on the left, originally indicating a connection to beasts, and the phonetic component 皃 on the right, which depicts a human face. Despite the animal radical, its primary meaning refers to human physical appearance or facial features. This sense later extended to encompass the general exterior look or visible qualities of both animate and inanimate things, distinguishing outward aspect from internal reality.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他非常有礼

Tā fēicháng yǒu lǐmào.

He is very polite.

城市面变化大。

Chéngshì miànmào biànhuà dà.

The city's appearance has changed greatly.

她的外很吸引人。

Tā de wàimào hěn xīyǐn rén.

Her appearance is very attractive.

他的容很英俊。

Tā de róngmào hěn yīngjùn.

His looks are very handsome.

不能决定一切。

Xiàngmào bù néng juédìng yīqiè.

Appearance cannot decide everything.

她不仅美而且善良。

Tā bùjǐn màoměi érqiě shànliáng.

She is not only beautiful but also kind.

似很冷静的样子。

Tā màosì hěn lěngjìng de yàngzi.

He seems very calm.

这个地方的地很独特。

Zhège dìfāng de dìmào hěn dútè.

The topography of this place is very unique.