<p>You just need to use face, prestige, reputation, and so on.</p>

<ul>
<li>爱面子 be keen on face-saving</li>
<li>保全/顾全面子 save face</li>
<li>丢面子 lose face</li>
<li>给面子 give face to somebody</li>
<li>面子问题 matter of face; issue concerning one’s reputation</li>
</ul>

<p>I hope that would be useful for you.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-04T03:33:55.380Z
@JohnSiu  Yes.  Wiktionary even says that "lose face" came into English from Chinese.  Certainly English uses "face" this way.
Colin McLarty
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-23T07:13:55.403Z
`Give face to somebody` 翻譯有點牽強……
Derek 朕會功夫
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-23T08:03:40.537Z
@Derek朕會功夫 This is an interesting term. It doesn't sound forced at all to me, however, it seems to be used more when associated with the Chinese as it is, after all, culturally specific. Normally, one would simply say, to honour or to pay respect to (someone's sensitivity or sensibilities), but these lack the cultural nuance that comes with to 'give face'.
deutschZuid
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-24T06:31:18.000Z
I definitely think that there are some context where a direct translation is appropriate, but some sound a bit unnatural.
Michael Lai
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-24T15:38:07.240Z
From time to time I heard people (English speaking) using "save face" or "to save face" in conversation. It is also in this [online idioms dictionary](http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/save+face).
John Siu
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-23T02:43:52.520Z
2013-04-23T06:33:07.157Z
2013-04-23T06:33:07.157Z
Stephen Cook
<p>面子 = Face, self-esteem, etc. A word can contain many meanings by how you use it in a sentence.
If you split those two words it will have even more meanings. So just by how you use it in a sentence.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-24T04:50:50.240Z
2013-04-24T16:29:15.340Z
2013-04-24T16:29:15.340Z
Kasnady
<p>"面子" means the reputation and Compliment from others</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-24T02:34:51.340Z
2013-04-24T02:34:51.340Z
Gu Qian
<p>I want to describe that a certain action gives you '面子', or that people do things to try and maintain or protect their '面子' but I can't think of an appropriate English word for it. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-11T09:21:59.390Z
The idea has been brought to the West at the time of trading in Qing. The word "lose face" is directly used in English so I think "face" is fine.
Daniel Cheung
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-23T01:09:35.723Z
Have you checked out Wikipedia? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Face_(sociological_concept)
NS.X.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-23T01:21:08.097Z
Exactly: It's just "face". It's a direct translation from Chinese, but the usage is widely understood and long standing (since at least the late 1800's).
Stumpy Joe Pete
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-23T03:50:00.957Z
It just seems to be more of a Chinese concept/semantic, so I wasn't sure whether a direct translation is appropriate. But based on the comments I think it is the best option.
Michael Lai
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-23T08:00:31.980Z
It had been assimilated into English vocab quite some time ago as Pete pointed out.
deutschZuid
<translation>
How would you translate the word '面子'?
# How would you translate the word '面子'?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-04-22)

I want to describe that a certain action gives you '面子', or that people do things to try and maintain or protect their '面子' but I can't think of an appropriate English word for it.

**Tags:** translation

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Have you checked out Wikipedia? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Face_(sociological_concept)  
> **username_3**: Exactly: It's just "face". It's a direct translation from Chinese, but the usage is widely understood and long standing (since at least the late 1800's).  
> **username_0**: It just seems to be more of a Chinese concept/semantic, so I wasn't sure whether a direct translation is appropriate. But based on the comments I think it is the best option.  
> **username_4**: It had been assimilated into English vocab quite some time ago as username_3 pointed out.  
> **username_1**: The idea has been brought to the West at the time of trading in Qing. The word "lose face" is directly used in English so I think "face" is fine.  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2013-04-23. Score: 7

You just need to use face, prestige, reputation, and so on.

* 爱面子 be keen on face-saving
* 保全/顾全面子 save face
* 丢面子 lose face
* 给面子 give face to somebody
* 面子问题 matter of face; issue concerning one’s reputation

I hope that would be useful for you.

> **Comments:**
> **username_7**: `Give face to somebody` 翻譯有點牽強……  
> **username_4**: @username_7 This is an interesting term. It doesn't sound forced at all to me, however, it seems to be used more when associated with the Chinese as it is, after all, culturally specific. Normally, one would simply say, to honour or to pay respect to (someone's sensitivity or sensibilities), but these lack the cultural nuance that comes with to 'give face'.  
> **username_0**: I definitely think that there are some context where a direct translation is appropriate, but some sound a bit unnatural.  
> **username_8**: From time to time I heard people (English speaking) using "save face" or "to save face" in conversation. It is also in this [online idioms dictionary](http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/save+face).  
> **username_6**: @username_8  Yes.  Wiktionary even says that "lose face" came into English from Chinese.  Certainly English uses "face" this way.  

---

### Answer by username_9 on 2013-04-24. Score: 2

面子 = Face, self-esteem, etc. A word can contain many meanings by how you use it in a sentence.
If you split those two words it will have even more meanings. So just by how you use it in a sentence.


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### Answer by username_10 on 2013-04-24. Score: 0

"面子" means the reputation and Compliment from others


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