<p>理发店 is more of a general term for hair salons. If it were for a girl, then we usually say 美发中心，美发院。</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-17T00:10:12.647Z
How about men? Possibly fashionable men in their 20s?
Blaszard
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-17T00:13:24.977Z
That will be "发型中心". You will find someone called "造型设计师". And they refer to themselves as by First Name(Probably an English one)+老师, such as "Kevin老师" or "Tony 老师".
moiaussi06
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-16T00:47:19.710Z
2017-12-16T00:47:19.710Z
moiaussi06
<p>To be very honest, we call them <strong>Tony</strong>. No kidding. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-09T05:22:34.577Z
Yeah, Tony老师 = hairdresser.
Mou某
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-09T15:11:30.933Z
It is used only when you are making fun of the guy.
zyy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-11T00:56:33.130Z
Make correct answers ,not joke
炸鱼薯条德里克
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-09T03:51:11.450Z
2019-05-09T03:51:11.450Z
Miss DuDu
<p>I don't think the distinction really applies in China. Maybe the difference is the amount of pop music they play!</p>

<p>Hairdressing salon, hairdresser's salon<br>
美发沙龙<br>
理头店<br>
剃头店 （This one maybe indicates a simple lob-off-your-hair place for older guys.)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-16T23:56:04.540Z
2017-12-16T23:56:04.540Z
Pedroski
<p>in Chinese, 理发店is where to make a hair-cut or hair-dressing, both for male or female. 美容院is where to do some activity about cosmetology, usually for female.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-17T00:09:31.710Z
Thanks but I still don't get enough. So approximately how many girls in their 20s go to 美容院 at least once a year? Is it common girls who go to 美容院 still go to 理发店 as well? (which in Japan is not true...)
Blaszard
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-16T11:28:02.457Z
2017-12-16T11:28:02.457Z
Arthur
<p>In China, hair salon with emphasis on fashion and beauty is relatively new. Before 1980s and 1990s, most hairdressers provided only haircutting and shaving services. It is not until late 1990s did the western-style hair salons rise.<br>
<strong>People may call a shop with haircutting service only 理发店, and a hair salon 理发店/美发店.</strong> Hair salons may call themselves 造型 (lit. styling), but this is not used by common people.<br>
In Chinese, 美容院 is a beauty salon, which provides skincare services, and doesn't necessarily include hair-related services. <strong>So it's wrong to call a hair salon 美容院.</strong> Also, 美容院 usually sets for women, since there are so few men in China have the need to "beautify" themselves. Therefore, <strong>it is weird that a man goes to a 美容院, no matter how you call it.</strong><br>
Those who provides personal hairstyle services(i.e. for certain actors and singers) are called 造型师(lit. "stylist"). Unlike publicly available hair shops, this name is commonly accepted. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-18T08:52:21.907Z
2017-12-18T08:52:21.907Z
Winfred Huang
<p>Recently my Chinese friend rephrased my use of 美容院 with 理发店 during the conversation, on which I said I'm looking for a hairdresser.</p>

<p>In Japanese there are two types of hair salons - 美容院 and 理容院. Both cut your hairs but the service is different. The former focuses on the aesthetic and used by women and most of younger men. The latter is for men who don't care about the aesthetic (mostly middle-aged and elderly men), and often offers the shaving service as well as the hair cut, and cheaper.</p>

<p>In Mandarin, is this distinction applied in the same way? Or are these words more like the synonym and thus can a (fashionable) girl use 理发店?</p>

<p>Also, does it sound awkward for men to use 美容院? I wonder why my Chinese friend rephrased it... (she is female and I'm male, and both of us are 20s, FYI)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-16T01:37:47.057Z
美容院 is almost like the equivalent of a beauty parlor, so unless you are going there to get made up it’s probably not the word you were looking for.
Mou某
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-16T02:21:16.127Z
ichacha:barber-hairdresser 中文是什么意思男子的理发师、**妇女的理发师**  hairdresser    1.理发员。 2.梳头者。 bkrs:  **妇女的理发师 Women’s hairdresser**
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-16T02:37:06.990Z
@user6065 I think OP means the place not the person here.
Mou某
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-16T02:41:29.120Z
iciba: Her cousin, a hairdresser, was perming her hair as a special treat.

她表兄是  **美发师** ，正在免费给她烫发。


related： **hair salon      发型屋
    美发厅
    头发护理中心**
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-16T03:30:54.643Z
Yeah, I know it's not great English but it is what it is.
Mou某
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-17T00:06:15.257Z
@user3306356 Yes my question is about the place.
Blaszard
<word-choice><word>
How to express a hairdresser in Mandarin?
# How to express a hairdresser in Mandarin?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-12-15)

Recently my Chinese friend rephrased my use of 美容院 with 理发店 during the conversation, on which I said I'm looking for a hairdresser.

In Japanese there are two types of hair salons - 美容院 and 理容院. Both cut your hairs but the service is different. The former focuses on the aesthetic and used by women and most of younger men. The latter is for men who don't care about the aesthetic (mostly middle-aged and elderly men), and often offers the shaving service as well as the hair cut, and cheaper.

In Mandarin, is this distinction applied in the same way? Or are these words more like the synonym and thus can a (fashionable) girl use 理发店?

Also, does it sound awkward for men to use 美容院? I wonder why my Chinese friend rephrased it... (she is female and I'm male, and both of us are 20s, FYI)

**Tags:** word-choice, word

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 美容院 is almost like the equivalent of a beauty parlor, so unless you are going there to get made up it’s probably not the word you were looking for.  
> **username_2**: ichacha:barber-hairdresser 中文是什么意思男子的理发师、**妇女的理发师**  hairdresser    1.理发员。 2.梳头者。 bkrs:  **妇女的理发师 Women’s hairdresser**  
> **username_1**: @username_2 I think OP means the place not the person here.  
> **username_2**: iciba: Her cousin, a hairdresser, was perming her hair as a special treat.  她表兄是  **美发师** ，正在免费给她烫发。   related： **hair salon      发型屋     美发厅     头发护理中心**  
> **username_1**: Yeah, I know it's not great English but it is what it is.  
> **username_0**: @user3306356 Yes my question is about the place.  

---

## 5 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2017-12-16. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

理发店 is more of a general term for hair salons. If it were for a girl, then we usually say 美发中心，美发院。

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: How about men? Possibly fashionable men in their 20s?  
> **username_3**: That will be "发型中心". You will find someone called "造型设计师". And they refer to themselves as by First Name(Probably an English one)+老师, such as "Kevin老师" or "Tony 老师".  

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### Answer by username_4 on 2019-05-09. Score: 1

To be very honest, we call them **Tony**. No kidding.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Yeah, Tony老师 = hairdresser.  
> **username_5**: It is used only when you are making fun of the guy.  
> **username_6**: Make correct answers ,not joke  

---

### Answer by username_7 on 2017-12-16. Score: 0

I don't think the distinction really applies in China. Maybe the difference is the amount of pop music they play!

Hairdressing salon, hairdresser's salon  
美发沙龙  
理头店  
剃头店 （This one maybe indicates a simple lob-off-your-hair place for older guys.)


---

### Answer by username_8 on 2017-12-16. Score: 0

in Chinese, 理发店is where to make a hair-cut or hair-dressing, both for male or female. 美容院is where to do some activity about cosmetology, usually for female.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks but I still don't get enough. So approximately how many girls in their 20s go to 美容院 at least once a year? Is it common girls who go to 美容院 still go to 理发店 as well? (which in Japan is not true...)  

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### Answer by username_9 on 2017-12-18. Score: 0

In China, hair salon with emphasis on fashion and beauty is relatively new. Before 1980s and 1990s, most hairdressers provided only haircutting and shaving services. It is not until late 1990s did the western-style hair salons rise.  
**People may call a shop with haircutting service only 理发店, and a hair salon 理发店/美发店.** Hair salons may call themselves 造型 (lit. styling), but this is not used by common people.  
In Chinese, 美容院 is a beauty salon, which provides skincare services, and doesn't necessarily include hair-related services. **So it's wrong to call a hair salon 美容院.** Also, 美容院 usually sets for women, since there are so few men in China have the need to "beautify" themselves. Therefore, **it is weird that a man goes to a 美容院, no matter how you call it.**  
Those who provides personal hairstyle services(i.e. for certain actors and singers) are called 造型师(lit. "stylist"). Unlike publicly available hair shops, this name is commonly accepted.


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