Definition
爱面子 (ài miàn zǐ) is a verb-object phrase meaning 'to love face' — a culturally important concept where '面子' (face) represents social prestige and dignity. It describes someone overly concerned with their reputation, often to the point of refusing to admit mistakes or ask for help, carrying a slightly negative connotation of vanity or pride. As a separable verb (离合词), you can insert words between 爱 and 面子, e.g., 爱了一辈子面子 ('cared about face all one's life').
v.o.
to care excessively about one's reputation or dignityto be overly self-conscious about saving face
Examples
- 爱面子，。Tā tài ài miàn zǐ le, cóng bù kěn chéngrèn cuòwù.He cares too much about face and never admits mistakes.
- ，。Tā ài le yí bèizi miàn zǐ, cóng bú yuànyì qiú rén.He cared about face all his life and never wanted to ask for help.
- 爱面子，。Tā tèbié ài miàn zǐ, chūmén zǒng yào dǎban de hěn tǐmiàn.She cares a lot about face; she always dresses very presentably when going out.
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