About
The character 颦 (pín) is a phono-semantic compound, with its traditional form 顰. In the traditional structure, the phonetic component 頻 (pín, “frequent”) sits atop the semantic component 卑 (bēi, “low”), which contributes to the meaning. The simplified form 颦 follows a similar vertical arrangement, replacing the top with its simplified counterpart 频. Its core meaning is to frown or knit the brows, often conveying worry, pain, or displeasure. This action is famously illustrated in the idiom 东施效颦 (Dōngshī-xiàopín), where an unattractive woman imitates the beautiful frown of the legendary beauty Xi Shi, humorously warning against blind imitation without regard for one’s own nature.
Etymology Hide
