苍白 cāngbái pale
pale; wan
How to remember 苍白: 苍 dark blue + 白 white = pale.
Characters
How it is used
- Pale / pallid - 脸色苍白 (liǎnsè cāngbái) a pale, sickly complexion; figuratively feeble - 苍白无力 (cāngbái wúlì) pale and weak (of an argument).
- Literal pallor of a face (from illness or fright), and figurative for something lifeless and unconvincing.
- 苍白无力 is a common set phrase criticizing weak, unpersuasive words.
Example sentences
- 他有点苍白。 Tā yǒudiǎn cāngbái.He's a little pale.
- 你看上去很苍白。 Nǐ kànshàngqù hěn cāngbái.You look very pale.
- 你今天看上去很苍白。 Nǐ jīntiān kànshàngqù hěn cāngbái.You look pale today.