<p>As a native speaker, I think the singer's pronunciation is not very good. According to <a href="https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E6%A2%A6%E7%84%B6/6272879" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://baike.baidu.com/item/梦然/6272879</a>, she was born in inner Mongolia. It's possible that Mandarin is not her first language. At least her j, q, x, zh, ch, and sh all sound a little off to me. (Nowadays many Chinese singers learn to sing in foreign countries like the US or Korea, so they make sounds somewhat like foreigners. It could also be this reason.)</p>
<p>Anyway, due to the way she pronounces, this 张 does sound like 道 in the song.</p>
<p>Normally, as other answers have said, we don't use &quot;一道笑脸&quot;. The correct collocation is &quot;一张笑脸&quot; or &quot;一道笑容&quot;.</p>
<p>OP has found some occurrences of &quot;一道笑脸&quot;, but they are all from net novels. Net novels are not proofread by qualified editors and could have all kinds of errors in them. (Some net novel writers haven't finished middle school education. They need to write several thousand characters a day so they don't have time to think. They misuse words all the time especially when it comes to literary expressions.)</p>
<p>Now we don't want to be prescriptive and say all these net novel writers are wrong. But bear in mind that this usage of &quot;一道笑脸&quot; is questionable at best. If you are a learner of Mandarin, it might be wise to focus on the established usages first.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-08T03:50:21.797Z
2021-09-08T03:50:21.797Z
Betty
<p>I think she sings 一直有<strong>你的</strong>笑脸, rather than &quot;一 + measure&quot;.</p>
<p>While it isn't such a rare thing for a pop &quot;lyricist&quot; to twist grammar, sound, or other linguistic element to fit whatever music they are working on, &quot;一道笑脸&quot; would be going a little too far. You can have 一道菜，but not *一道脸。</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-07T19:17:19.580Z
Thank you for your answer. Can you please review my edits?
Microtribute
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-07T23:00:10.033Z
Just did. Very strange usage. It is something I will not think of using. Is it a mistake? In my mind, yes, but hey, lots of people write "who's" for "whose", "it's" for "its", "lot's" for "lots", "lay" for "lie", etc. and people actually think those are correct.
monalisa
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-05T22:40:21.620Z
2021-09-05T22:40:21.620Z
monalisa
<p>No. &quot;道&quot; has the meaning of &quot;path&quot; which is usually straight unless additional description is given such as &quot;彎道&quot;. So 道 is used to describe something is narrow and straight -  &quot;一道傷疤&quot; or &quot;心上又多了一道傷口&quot;.</p>
<p>&quot;张&quot; is used to describe something with a flat surface - &quot;一张紙&quot;, &quot;一张椅子&quot;, &quot;一张床&quot;, and &quot;一张脸&quot; are all correct uses.</p>
<p>Note, a singer making mistakes on lyrics is not a rare event, even the superstars :)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-05T19:38:34.370Z
Did you get a chance to listen to the song that I provided? I am pretty sure the signer does not say "一张笑脸"
Microtribute
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-05T19:54:48.720Z
No. I don't think I need to. The farthest I can think a seemly valid sentence would be "一道笑容". you never describe the face using 道 but 张. Even he/she did sing "一道笑脸", I'll say - enjoy the song but ignore the incorrect word use, which could be a mispronunciation by the singer, a word chosen to fit the rhythm, or you have mistaken it for another word.
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-07T19:17:47.733Z
Please review my edits.
Microtribute
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-07T19:42:45.693Z
Microtribute :) Yes, all mistakes. Sometimes, if we don't want to repeat the same word in a sentence, we can switch one to "一個笑脸" instead of repeating "一笑张脸". Note, the use of 道 is necessary and proper when describing the eyesight - "一道冷漠的眼光", or something straight - "一道挺直的鼻樑". Don't concern others making the mistake, just wish you do not commit the same mistakes.
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-07T19:45:33.687Z
Hmmmm... are you a native Chinese speaker?
Microtribute
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-07T19:46:13.947Z
@Microtribute You got it :)
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-07T20:52:41.027Z
So are you saying the "mistaken" authors used 道 to avoid repetition?
Microtribute
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-07T21:19:53.960Z
@Microtribute Some were, some were not. I didn't count one by one, you can see from the sentences though.
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-05T19:07:56.403Z
2021-09-05T20:03:50.883Z
2021-09-05T20:03:50.883Z
r13
<p>I was listening to 曾经的那个人 by 梦然. You can check out the song here.</p>
<p><a href="https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E6%9B%BE%E7%BB%8F%E7%9A%84%E9%82%A3%E4%B8%AA%E4%BA%BA/21270421" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E6%9B%BE%E7%BB%8F%E7%9A%84%E9%82%A3%E4%B8%AA%E4%BA%BA/21270421</a></p>
<p>Or here:</p>
<p><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Y7H8vfxEUA4fg0udSmUXZJzryXM_l5s-/view?usp=sharing" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Y7H8vfxEUA4fg0udSmUXZJzryXM_l5s-/view?usp=sharing</a>
<a href="https://www.kugeci.com/song/6i1jMQWM" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.kugeci.com/song/6i1jMQWM</a></p>
<p>In the lyrics, you can find the line that goes:
脑海中一直有一<strong>张</strong>笑脸</p>
<p><strong>Edit</strong>: Please skip to 00:00:58 for this exact line.</p>
<p>Although the lyrics says <strong>一张笑脸</strong>, the singer says <strong>一道笑脸</strong>.</p>
<p>Did I spot it correctly or is it some sort of contextual sound change cause I never heard 道 could be used as a measure word for things like 笑脸 (smiling face).</p>
<hr />
<p><strong>Edit</strong>: I found a ton of Chinese novels where <strong>一道笑脸</strong> is actually used: Are all of these just mistakes?</p>
<p><a href="https://www.dizishu.com/b/2682/7975833.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.dizishu.com/b/2682/7975833.html</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>这是一张怎样的笑脸，几乎就是带着冰冷死亡还有恐惧···这<strong>一道笑脸</strong>几乎是可以令所有的人，感觉到死亡的窒息！即便是中年的面色，也都刷的一下剧烈变化！</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://www.biquyue.com/book_38294/26564.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.biquyue.com/book_38294/26564.html</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>方莫吞了口唾沫下去，望着面前这些人，脸上尴尬而又得体地露出了<strong>一道笑脸</strong>：“各位好啊？”</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.biquge5200.net/47_47238/18117207.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.biquge5200.net/47_47238/18117207.html</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>伊莉雅勉强露出了<strong>一道笑脸</strong>：“谢谢你，对了，我还不知道你的名字。”</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://m.sz-tman.com/du/84219/19855417.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://m.sz-tman.com/du/84219/19855417.html</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>下一刻眼前就已经是出现了<strong>一道冷冷的笑脸</strong>，随着这<strong>一道笑脸</strong>刚刚出现的同时，就令他心中一沉！</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://www.booktxt.net/7_7451/49436751.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.booktxt.net/7_7451/49436751.html</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>顾景迁还企图隐瞒，努力扬起<strong>一道笑脸</strong>，解释道：“没事，我只是有些累了，沐恩，现在还没有辰修的消息，一有消息我一定会……”</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="http://m.xiaoshuopu.com/xiaoshuo/62/62534/28885872.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://m.xiaoshuopu.com/xiaoshuo/62/62534/28885872.html</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>当莫天能主动放过一些生灵的时候，其嘴角终于是露出<strong>一道笑脸</strong>。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>For more examples, you can check this link:
<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=%22%E4%B8%80%E9%81%93%E7%AC%91%E8%84%B8%22&amp;newwindow=1&amp;client=firefox-b-d&amp;ei=vLc3YZ-0C-ug5NoPrOeHkAE&amp;start=20&amp;sa=N&amp;ved=2ahUKEwifgs36xu3yAhVrEFkFHazzARI4ChDy0wN6BAgBEDU&amp;biw=1440&amp;bih=830" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.google.com/search?q=%22%E4%B8%80%E9%81%93%E7%AC%91%E8%84%B8%22&amp;newwindow=1&amp;client=firefox-b-d&amp;ei=vLc3YZ-0C-ug5NoPrOeHkAE&amp;start=20&amp;sa=N&amp;ved=2ahUKEwifgs36xu3yAhVrEFkFHazzARI4ChDy0wN6BAgBEDU&amp;biw=1440&amp;bih=830</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-06T01:06:10.937Z
I agree with monalisa, I also hear 你的. Are you warm, are you real, Mona Lisa 《蒙娜丽莎》?
Or just a cold and lonely lovely work of art? (Nat King Cole song )
Pedroski
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-06T02:44:30.263Z
That's a four minutes long song. You should specify the time range of the part where you have question to avoid wasting answerers' time.
Betty
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-07T19:21:59.353Z
@Betty Apologies, Please skip to 00:00:58 for that exact line.
Microtribute
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-07T19:25:26.467Z
I really don't think the singer says 你的...
Microtribute
<measure-word>
Can 道 be used as a measure word for 笑脸 like "一道笑脸“
# Can 道 be used as a measure word for 笑脸 like "一道笑脸“

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-09-05)

I was listening to 曾经的那个人 by 梦然. You can check out the song here.

<https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E6%9B%BE%E7%BB%8F%E7%9A%84%E9%82%A3%E4%B8%AA%E4%BA%BA/21270421>

Or here:

<https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Y7H8vfxEUA4fg0udSmUXZJzryXM_l5s-/view?usp=sharing>
<https://www.kugeci.com/song/6i1jMQWM>

In the lyrics, you can find the line that goes:
脑海中一直有一**张**笑脸

**Edit**: Please skip to 00:00:58 for this exact line.

Although the lyrics says **一张笑脸**, the singer says **一道笑脸**.

Did I spot it correctly or is it some sort of contextual sound change cause I never heard 道 could be used as a measure word for things like 笑脸 (smiling face).

---

**Edit**: I found a ton of Chinese novels where **一道笑脸** is actually used: Are all of these just mistakes?

<https://www.dizishu.com/b/2682/7975833.html>

> 这是一张怎样的笑脸，几乎就是带着冰冷死亡还有恐惧···这**一道笑脸**几乎是可以令所有的人，感觉到死亡的窒息！即便是中年的面色，也都刷的一下剧烈变化！

<https://www.biquyue.com/book_38294/26564.html>

> 方莫吞了口唾沫下去，望着面前这些人，脸上尴尬而又得体地露出了**一道笑脸**：“各位好啊？”

<http://www.biquge5200.net/47_47238/18117207.html>

> 伊莉雅勉强露出了**一道笑脸**：“谢谢你，对了，我还不知道你的名字。”

<https://m.sz-tman.com/du/84219/19855417.html>

> 下一刻眼前就已经是出现了**一道冷冷的笑脸**，随着这**一道笑脸**刚刚出现的同时，就令他心中一沉！

<https://www.booktxt.net/7_7451/49436751.html>

> 顾景迁还企图隐瞒，努力扬起**一道笑脸**，解释道：“没事，我只是有些累了，沐恩，现在还没有辰修的消息，一有消息我一定会……”

<http://m.xiaoshuopu.com/xiaoshuo/62/62534/28885872.html>

> 当莫天能主动放过一些生灵的时候，其嘴角终于是露出**一道笑脸**。

For more examples, you can check this link:
<https://www.google.com/search?q=%22%E4%B8%80%E9%81%93%E7%AC%91%E8%84%B8%22&newwindow=1&client=firefox-b-d&ei=vLc3YZ-0C-ug5NoPrOeHkAE&start=20&sa=N&ved=2ahUKEwifgs36xu3yAhVrEFkFHazzARI4ChDy0wN6BAgBEDU&biw=1440&bih=830>

**Tags:** measure-word

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I agree with username_3, I also hear 你的. Are you warm, are you real, Mona Lisa 《蒙娜丽莎》? Or just a cold and lonely lovely work of art? (Nat King Cole song )  
> **username_2**: That's a four minutes long song. You should specify the time range of the part where you have question to avoid wasting answerers' time.  
> **username_0**: @username_2 Apologies, Please skip to 00:00:58 for that exact line.  
> **username_0**: I really don't think the singer says 你的...  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2021-09-08. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

As a native speaker, I think the singer's pronunciation is not very good. According to [https://baike.baidu.com/item/梦然/6272879](https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E6%A2%A6%E7%84%B6/6272879), she was born in inner Mongolia. It's possible that Mandarin is not her first language. At least her j, q, x, zh, ch, and sh all sound a little off to me. (Nowadays many Chinese singers learn to sing in foreign countries like the US or Korea, so they make sounds somewhat like foreigners. It could also be this reason.)

Anyway, due to the way she pronounces, this 张 does sound like 道 in the song.

Normally, as other answers have said, we don't use "一道笑脸". The correct collocation is "一张笑脸" or "一道笑容".

OP has found some occurrences of "一道笑脸", but they are all from net novels. Net novels are not proofread by qualified editors and could have all kinds of errors in them. (Some net novel writers haven't finished middle school education. They need to write several thousand characters a day so they don't have time to think. They misuse words all the time especially when it comes to literary expressions.)

Now we don't want to be prescriptive and say all these net novel writers are wrong. But bear in mind that this usage of "一道笑脸" is questionable at best. If you are a learner of Mandarin, it might be wise to focus on the established usages first.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2021-09-05. Score: 3

I think she sings 一直有**你的**笑脸, rather than "一 + measure".

While it isn't such a rare thing for a pop "lyricist" to twist grammar, sound, or other linguistic element to fit whatever music they are working on, "一道笑脸" would be going a little too far. You can have 一道菜，but not \*一道脸。

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thank you for your answer. Can you please review my edits?  
> **username_3**: Just did. Very strange usage. It is something I will not think of using. Is it a mistake? In my mind, yes, but hey, lots of people write "who's" for "whose", "it's" for "its", "lot's" for "lots", "lay" for "lie", etc. and people actually think those are correct.  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2021-09-05. Score: 2

No. "道" has the meaning of "path" which is usually straight unless additional description is given such as "彎道". So 道 is used to describe something is narrow and straight - "一道傷疤" or "心上又多了一道傷口".

"张" is used to describe something with a flat surface - "一张紙", "一张椅子", "一张床", and "一张脸" are all correct uses.

Note, a singer making mistakes on lyrics is not a rare event, even the superstars :)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Did you get a chance to listen to the song that I provided? I am pretty sure the signer does not say "一张笑脸"  
> **username_4**: No. I don't think I need to. The farthest I can think a seemly valid sentence would be "一道笑容". you never describe the face using 道 but 张. Even he/she did sing "一道笑脸", I'll say - enjoy the song but ignore the incorrect word use, which could be a mispronunciation by the singer, a word chosen to fit the rhythm, or you have mistaken it for another word.  
> **username_0**: Please review my edits.  
> **username_4**: username_0 :) Yes, all mistakes. Sometimes, if we don't want to repeat the same word in a sentence, we can switch one to "一個笑脸" instead of repeating "一笑张脸". Note, the use of 道 is necessary and proper when describing the eyesight - "一道冷漠的眼光", or something straight - "一道挺直的鼻樑". Don't concern others making the mistake, just wish you do not commit the same mistakes.  
> **username_0**: Hmmmm... are you a native Chinese speaker?  
> **username_4**: @username_0 You got it :)  
> **username_0**: So are you saying the "mistaken" authors used 道 to avoid repetition?  
> **username_4**: @username_0 Some were, some were not. I didn't count one by one, you can see from the sentences though.  

---

