每天成语
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抛头露面

*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: pāo tóu lù miàn
  • English Translation: To show one's face in public (often with a negative or reluctant nuance)
  • Idiom Composition: 「抛」（To expose or cast out (in this context, showing what should be hidden)）＋「头」（Head or face）＋「露」（To reveal or manifest）＋「面」（Face or appearance）
  • Meaning: Originally used in feudal society to describe women appearing in public as 'immodest.' In modern times, 抛头露面 (pāo tóu lù miàn) refers to anyone appearing in public, but it often carries a negative connotation of being an attention-seeker, or a sense of hardship when one is forced to appear in public to make a living.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「抛头露面」 contains the following nuances:

  • Traditional Negative Evaluation: Because 'showing one's face' was traditionally seen as lacking dignity or modesty, the term is still frequently used to criticize 'fame-seeking' or 'shameless' public behavior.
  • Forced Exposure: It can also imply that the person does not want to be seen but is forced into the public eye due to work, financial necessity, or external circumstances.

3. Usage

「抛头露面」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Avoiding the public eye: Used when a retired person, a celebrity, or someone with something to hide wishes to avoid public attention and live quietly.
    • Example:「自从退休后，他就过着隐居生活，不愿意再抛头露面。」
      （Since retiring, he has lived a secluded life and no longer wishes to show his face in public.)
  • Hardship and survival: Used to describe a situation where someone (historically often women) is forced to work in public to earn a living, often with a sense of sympathy or self-deprecation.
    • Example:「为了养家糊口，她不得不出来抛头露面做小生意。」
      （To support her family, she had no choice but to appear in public to run a small business.)
  • Criticism of attention-seeking: Used to criticize someone who frequently appears in the media or public eye just to seek attention or fame.
    • Example:「他并不是真心想做慈善，只是喜欢抛头露面博取关注罢了。」
      （He doesn't truly care about charity; he just likes to show his face to gain attention.)

Additional Examples:

  1. 作为一名通缉犯，他整天躲在屋里，不敢抛头露面。
    （As a wanted fugitive, he hides in his room all day, not daring to show his face in public.）
  2. 这种抛头露面的工作不适合性格内向的他。
    （This kind of public-facing job is not suitable for his introverted personality.）
  3. 传统的观念认为女性不应该抛头露面，但现在时代不同了。
    （Traditional views held that women should not appear in public, but times have changed.）
  4. 为了躲避债主，他不得不停止一切抛头露面的活动。
    （To avoid debt collectors, he had to stop all public activities.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • Historical Context: In traditional Chinese society, heavily influenced by Confucianism (儒家 - rú jiā), women from respectable families were expected to stay in the 'inner quarters' of the home. Appearing in public where men could see them was considered shameful. This idiom deeply reflects those old social values.
  • Modern Nuance: While it is now standard for everyone to work and participate in public life, 抛头露面 (pāo tóu lù miàn) still retains a slight negative 'flavor' of immodesty or unnecessary exposure. For a neutral way to say 'make an appearance,' use 露面 (lù miàn) or 出席 (chū xí).

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

The idiom 抛头露面 (pāo tóu lù miàn) describes the act of appearing in public. While it literally means 'exposing one's head and face,' it usually implies a lack of modesty, a desire for the limelight, or the struggle of being forced into the public eye for survival. It is distinct from a neutral 'appearance' and often carries a judgmental tone.

Featured in the Chuken exam (Japan's Chinese test)Pre-Level 1

Idiom Essay

pāo tóu lù miàn
抛头露面
Appearing in Public
měi gè rén每个人dōu都yǒu有xiǎng yào想要duǒ qǐ lái躲起来de的shí hòu时候。

Everyone has moments when they want to hide away.

zhǐ只xiǎng想dài待zài在zì jǐ自己de的xiǎo小shì jiè世界lǐ里，chuān穿shū fú舒服de的jiù旧yī fú衣服，bù不bèi被rèn hé任何rén人dǎ rǎo打扰，yě也bù不xū yào需要zài yì在意bié rén别人de的yǎn guāng眼光。

Just staying in one's own little world, wearing comfortable old clothes, undisturbed by anyone, and not needing to care about others' opinions.

dàn shì但是，shēng huó生活wǎng wǎng往往bù不yǔn xǔ允许wǒ men我们yì zhí一直cáng藏zhe着。

However, life often doesn't allow us to stay hidden forever.

yǒu shí hòu有时候，wèi le为了shēng huó生活，huò zhě或者wèi le为了zé rèn责任，wǒ men我们bì xū必须zǒu走chū qù出去，zhàn站zài在rén qún人群zhōng jiān中间。

Sometimes, for the sake of survival or responsibility, we must step out and stand in the middle of a crowd.

zhōng wén中文lǐ里，yǒu有yí gè一个chéng yǔ成语xíng róng形容zhè zhǒng这种bǎ把zì jǐ自己bào lù暴露zài在dà tíng guǎng zhòng大庭广众zhī xià之下de的zhuàng tài状态，jiào叫“pāo tóu lù miàn抛头露面”。

In Chinese, there is an idiom to describe this state of exposing oneself in public, called 抛头露面.

zhè ge这个cí词de的huà miàn画面gǎn感hěn很qiáng强。

This phrase has a very strong visual sense.

“pāo抛”，shì是bǎ把dōng xī东西diū chū qù丢出去；“lù露”，shì是xiǎn lù显露。

抛 means to throw something out; 露 means to reveal.

zì miàn字面shàng上kàn看，jiù shì就是bǎ把tóu头hé和liǎn脸，háo wú bǎo liú毫无保留dì地zhǎn shì展示gěi给wài miàn外面de的shì jiè世界。

Literally, it means showing one's head and face to the outside world without reservation.

zài在guò qù过去，zhè ge这个chéng yǔ成语wǎng wǎng往往dài yǒu带有biǎn yì贬义，tōng cháng通常yòng lái用来xíng róng形容nǚ xìng女性bù不shǒu guī jǔ守规矩，suí biàn随便ràng让rén人kàn jiàn看见。

In the past, this idiom often carried a derogatory tone, usually used to describe women who did not follow social rules and allowed themselves to be seen freely.

dàn但zài在xiàn dài现代，tā它de的yì si意思yǐ jīng已经biàn变le了。

But in modern times, its meaning has changed.

tā它bù zài不再zhǐ只guān hū关乎dào dé道德，ér而gèng更duō多shì是guān hū关乎yī zhǒng一种“bèi被zhù shì注视de的yā lì压力”。

It is no longer just about morality, but more about the pressure of being watched.

wǒ men我们huì会zài在shén me什么qíng jìng情境xià下yòng用tā它ne呢？

In what situations do we use it?

wǎng wǎng往往shì是zài在dāng shì rén当事人bìng并bù不tài太qíng yuàn情愿，huò zhě或者jué de觉得zhè这shì是yī zhǒng一种fù dān负担de的shí hòu时候。

Often when the person involved is not very willing, or feels it is a burden.

bǐ rú比如，yí gè一个xìng gé性格nèi xiàng内向de的rén人，wèi le为了gōng zuò工作bù dé bù不得不qù去cān jiā参加gè zhǒng各种yìng chóu应酬，duì对zhe着mò shēng rén陌生人péi赔xiào liǎn笑脸。

For example, an introverted person who has to attend various social events for work and smile at strangers.

zhè shí hòu这时候，tā他kě néng可能huì会gǎn tàn感叹：zhè zhǒng这种“pāo tóu lù miàn抛头露面”de的shēng huó生活，zhēn真ràng让rén人pí bèi疲惫。

At this time, they might sigh: this kind of 抛头露面 life is truly exhausting.

huò zhě或者，yī wèi一位céng jīng曾经hěn很hóng红de的míng xīng明星，jué dìng决定tuì chū退出yú lè quān娱乐圈，qù去guò过pǔ tōng rén普通人de的rì zi日子。

Or, a once-famous star decides to quit the entertainment industry to live a normal life.

xīn wén新闻lǐ里jiù就huì会xiě写：tā他yǐ jīng已经hěn很jiǔ久méi yǒu没有“pāo tóu lù miàn抛头露面”le了。

The news might write: he hasn't 抛头露面 for a long time.

suǒ yǐ所以，“pāo tóu lù miàn抛头露面”bù jǐn jǐn不仅仅shì是shuō说yí gè一个rén人“chū mén出门le了”。

So, 抛头露面 is not just saying someone went out.

tā它àn shì暗示zhe着，nǐ你lí kāi离开le了nà ge那个ān quán安全de的、sī mì私密de的jiǎo luò角落，jìn rù进入le了yí gè一个huì会bèi被rén人píng tóu lùn zú评头论足de的gōng gòng公共kōng jiān空间。

It implies that you have left that safe, private corner and entered a public space where you will be judged.

suī rán虽然xiàn dài现代shè huì社会gǔ lì鼓励dà jiā大家zhǎn shì展示zì jǐ自己，dàn但zhè ge这个chéng yǔ成语tí xǐng提醒wǒ men我们：bèi被kàn jiàn看见，yǒu shí hòu有时候shì是xū yào需要xiāo hào消耗néng liàng能量de的。

Although modern society encourages everyone to show themselves, this idiom reminds us: being seen sometimes consumes energy.

néng gòu能够xuǎn zé选择bù不“pāo tóu lù miàn抛头露面”，ān ān jìng jìng安安静静dì地zuò做zì jǐ自己，qí shí其实yě也shì是yī zhǒng一种nán dé难得de的shē chǐ奢侈。

Being able to choose not to 抛头露面 and quietly be yourself is actually a rare luxury.

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