理发 lǐfà a barber
a barber, hairdressing; haircut
How to remember 理发: 理 reason + 发 send out = a barber.
Characters
How it is used
- A separable verb-object phrase meaning to get a haircut - 我要去理发 (wǒ yào qù lǐfà) I need to go get a haircut; you can insert things between the parts, like 理了一次发 (lǐ le yí cì fà) got a haircut once.
- 理发店 (lǐfàdiàn) is the barbershop/hair salon; 理发师 (lǐfàshī) is the barber/hairdresser.
- 剪头发 (jiǎn tóufa, to cut hair) is a more colloquial alternative with the same meaning, especially in casual speech.
- 理 here means "to put in order/tend to", not its more common sense of "reason/logic".
Example sentences
- 你该理发了。 Nǐ gāi lǐfà le.You should get your hair cut.
- 我去了理发店。 Wǒ qù le lǐfàdiàn.I have been to the barber's.
- 你该去理发店了。 Nǐ gāi qù lǐfàdiàn le.You need a haircut.