掩饰

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Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

The verb 掩饰 (yǎn shì) means "to cover up" or "to conceal," often referring to hiding feelings, mistakes, or facts. It implies an intentional effort to prevent others from noticing something undesirable.

Common Contexts

It is frequently used in contexts where someone tries to hide emotions (like nervousness or pain), mistakes, or faults. For example, 掩饰紧张 (cover up nervousness) or 掩饰错误 (cover up mistakes).

Collocations and Patterns

  • 掩饰错误: to cover up mistakes, often with a negative connotation implying dishonesty.
  • 掩饰情绪: to hide emotions, showing a deliberate control over one's feelings.
  • 掩饰: to cover up with a smile, indicating masking true feelings.

Nuances

掩饰 often carries a slightly negative or defensive tone, suggesting the person is hiding something that might be judged or cause trouble if revealed. It differs from simply "hiding" ( yǐncáng) because 掩饰 often involves a deliberate act of disguising or masking.

Common Confusion

Do not confuse 掩饰 with 掩盖 (yǎn gài), which means "to cover" or "to conceal" but is more physical or general. 掩饰 focuses more on disguising or masking, especially abstract things like feelings or faults.

Example Sentences

He tried to cover up his nervousness, but everyone could see it.

Covering up mistakes will only make things worse.

She used a smile to cover up the pain inside.