====== liǎnpí hòu: 脸皮厚 - Thick-skinned, Shameless, Brazen ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** lianpi hou meaning, 脸皮厚 English, Chinese thick skinned, what does lian pi hou mean, shameless in Chinese, brazen Chinese, how to say thick skinned in Mandarin, Chinese face culture, mianzi
  * **Summary:** Learn the meaning of the essential Chinese phrase **脸皮厚 (liǎnpí hòu)**, which literally translates to "face skin thick." This page breaks down how "lianpi hou" is used to describe someone who is **thick-skinned, shameless, or brazen**, especially in situations where they ignore social etiquette or criticism for personal gain. We'll explore its deep connection to the cultural concept of "face" ([[面子]], miànzi) and provide numerous practical examples to help you master this common, yet powerful, expression.
===== Core Meaning =====
<hanziwriter>脸皮厚</hanziwriter>
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** liǎnpí hòu
  * **Part of Speech:** Adjective
  * **HSK Level:** N/A
  * **Concise Definition:** To be thick-skinned, shameless, and impervious to criticism or social embarrassment.
  * **In a Nutshell:** Literally meaning "face-skin-thick," **脸皮厚 (liǎnpí hòu)** is a vivid term for someone who doesn't get embarrassed when they should. They might ask for unreasonable favors, persist after being rejected, or act in self-serving ways without any sense of shame. It's almost always used as a negative criticism, implying a lack of social awareness and respect for others.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **脸 (liǎn):** Face. This refers not just to the physical face, but also to one's reputation and social standing, a concept known as [[面子]] (miànzi).
  * **皮 (pí):** Skin, hide, or leather.
  * **厚 (hòu):** Thick.
  * The characters combine to form a powerful metaphor: someone's "face skin" is so thick that shame, criticism, and embarrassment cannot penetrate it. They are emotionally and socially immune to things that would make most people "lose face."
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
The true meaning of **脸皮厚 (liǎnpí hòu)** is inseparable from the Chinese cultural concept of **[[面子]] (miànzi)**, or "face." In Chinese culture, "face" represents a person's honor, reputation, and social standing. Maintaining one's own face and giving face to others is crucial for social harmony. Actions are often judged by whether they cause someone to "lose face" ([[丢脸]], diūliǎn).
A person described as **脸皮厚** is someone who flagrantly disregards this entire social system. They act in ways that should cause immense shame and loss of face, yet they remain completely unfazed.
**Comparison to Western Culture:** The English phrase "thick-skinned" is a close equivalent, but there's a key difference in connotation. In English, being "thick-skinned" can be a positive or necessary survival trait, especially for public figures or professionals who face constant criticism (e.g., "A politician needs to be thick-skinned"). In Chinese, **脸皮厚** is overwhelmingly negative. It's not about resilience; it's about a shameless lack of character. Calling someone `脸皮厚` is a direct insult to their moral and social integrity.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
**脸皮厚** is a very common, informal expression used in daily conversation.
  * **Criticizing Pushy Behavior:** It's often used to describe pushy salespeople, people who cut in line, or colleagues who shamelessly take credit for others' work.
  * **Social Interactions:** It can describe someone who crashes a party, asks for an unreasonable favor, or overstays their welcome.
  * **Dating and Relationships:** A person who relentlessly pursues someone who has clearly and repeatedly rejected them would be described as `脸皮厚`.
  * **Self-Deprecating Humor:** In rare cases, among very close friends, you can use it on yourself to soften a potentially embarrassing request. By acknowledging your action is `脸皮厚`, you show self-awareness and can make the request with a bit of humor. For example: "我要脸皮厚一点问你，可以借我点钱吗？" (Wǒ yào liǎnpí hòu yīdiǎn wèn nǐ, kěyǐ jiè wǒ diǎn qián ma?) - "I'm going to be a bit shameless and ask, can I borrow some money?"
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:** 
    * 他被老板骂了还笑嘻嘻的，**脸皮厚**得像城墙。
    * Pinyin: Tā bèi lǎobǎn mà le hái xīxī de, **liǎnpí hòu** de xiàng chéngqiáng.
    * English: He was still grinning after being scolded by the boss; his skin is as thick as a city wall.
    * Analysis: This example uses a common simile "像城墙" (xiàng chéngqiáng - like a city wall) to emphasize the extreme degree of his shamelessness. It's a strong criticism of his lack of reaction to being reprimanded.
  * **Example 2:** 
    * 你怎么好意思让他请客？你真是**脸皮厚**！
    * Pinyin: Nǐ zěnme hǎoyìsi ràng tā qǐngkè? Nǐ zhēnshi **liǎnpí hòu**!
    * English: How could you have the nerve to let him pay? You're really shameless!
    * Analysis: This is a direct accusation. The speaker is shaming the listener for taking advantage of someone else's generosity. The phrase "你好意思" (nǐ hǎoyìsi - you have the nerve) is often used in situations related to `脸皮厚`.
  * **Example 3:** 
    * 那个销售员太**脸皮厚**了，我说了十次不买，他还一直跟着我。
    * Pinyin: Nàge xiāoshòuyuán tài **liǎnpí hòu** le, wǒ shuōle shí cì bù mǎi, tā hái yīzhí gēnzhe wǒ.
    * English: That salesman is so thick-skinned. I told him ten times I wasn't buying, but he kept following me.
    * Analysis: This describes a classic scenario of pushy behavior. The person is ignoring clear social cues (rejection) for personal gain (making a sale).
  * **Example 4:** 
    * 追女孩就是要**脸皮厚**一点，不要怕被拒绝。
    * Pinyin: Zhuī nǚhái jiùshì yào **liǎnpí hòu** yīdiǎn, bùyào pà bèi jùjué.
    * English: To pursue a girl, you just have to be a bit more thick-skinned and not be afraid of rejection.
    * Analysis: This is one of the few contexts where `脸皮厚` can have a slightly less negative, or even neutral, connotation. It's framed as a necessary (though not necessarily admirable) strategy for overcoming shyness in dating.
  * **Example 5:** 
    * 他借了钱从来不还，还敢再来借，**脸皮厚**到家了。
    * Pinyin: Tā jiè le qián cónglái bù huán, hái gǎn zàilái jiè, **liǎnpí hòu** dào jiā le.
    * English: He never pays back money he borrows, and he still dares to ask for more. He's shameless to the extreme.
    * Analysis: The phrase "到家了" (dào jiā le) is an intensifier meaning "to the utmost" or "to the extreme." This is a very strong condemnation of someone's character.
  * **Example 6:** 
    * 我得**脸皮厚**一点，去问问邻居能不能借我个梯子。
    * Pinyin: Wǒ děi **liǎnpí hòu** yīdiǎn, qù wènwen línjū néng bu néng jiè wǒ ge tīzi.
    * English: I'll have to be a bit brazen and go ask my neighbor if I can borrow a ladder.
    * Analysis: A good example of self-deprecation. The speaker is acknowledging that asking for favors can be imposing, so they use `脸皮厚` to show awareness and soften the request.
  * **Example 7:** 
    * 没想到他**脸皮**这么**厚**，把我的功劳全说成是他的。
    * Pinyin: Méi xiǎngdào tā **liǎnpí** zhème **hòu**, bǎ wǒ de gōngláo quán shuō chéng shì tā de.
    * English: I can't believe he's so shameless that he claimed all my credit as his own.
    * Analysis: Note the structure `脸皮 (subject) + 这么 (so) + 厚 (adjective)`. This highlights the shamelessness of taking credit for someone else's work, a serious violation of workplace etiquette.
  * **Example 8:** 
    * 在公共场合大声喧哗的人，**脸皮**都**厚**。
    * Pinyin: Zài gōnggòng chǎnghé dàshēng xuānhuá de rén, **liǎnpí** dōu **hòu**.
    * English: People who make a lot of noise in public are all thick-skinned.
    * Analysis: This sentence makes a general statement, linking the trait of being `脸皮厚` to a specific type of socially unacceptable behavior.
  * **Example 9:** 
    * 如果你不够**脸皮厚**，你是做不成这个生意的。
    * Pinyin: Rúguǒ nǐ bùgòu **liǎnpí hòu**, nǐ shì zuò bu chéng zhège shēngyì de.
    * English: If you're not thick-skinned enough, you won't be able to succeed in this business.
    * Analysis: Similar to Example 4, this treats `脸皮厚` as a necessary, if slightly unsavory, quality for success in a competitive or cutthroat business environment. It implies a need to ignore rejection and perhaps bend some rules.
  * **Example 10:** 
    * A: 他又来找你了？ B: 是啊，我真不知道一个人的**脸皮**可以**厚**到什么程度。
    * Pinyin: A: Tā yòu lái zhǎo nǐ le? B: Shì a, wǒ zhēn bù zhīdào yīgè rén de **liǎnpí** kěyǐ **hòu** dào shénme chéngdù.
    * English: A: He came looking for you again? B: Yeah, I really don't know how shameless a person can be.
    * Analysis: A conversational exchange expressing exasperation. The second speaker uses a rhetorical question to emphasize their disbelief at the person's persistence and utter lack of shame.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  * **Don't Confuse with "Confident" or "Brave":** A common mistake for learners is to equate `脸皮厚` with being confident ([[自信]], zìxìn) or brave ([[勇敢]], yǒnggǎn). Confidence is a positive trait of self-belief. Being `脸皮厚` is a negative trait of disregarding social norms and others' feelings for one's own benefit.
  * **It's an Insult, Not a Compliment:** Calling someone `脸皮厚` to their face is a direct insult. While the English "thick-skinned" can sometimes be praise for resilience, `脸皮厚` never is.
    * **Incorrect Usage:** `你被批评了还能继续工作，你真脸皮厚！` (Nǐ bèi pīpíng le hái néng jìxù gōngzuò, nǐ zhēn liǎnpí hòu!) - *"You can continue working after being criticized, you're so thick-skinned!"* This sounds like you are calling them a shameless person.
    * **Correct Way to Praise:** `你真坚强！` (Nǐ zhēn jiānqiáng!) - *"You're so strong/resilient!"*
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * [[面子]] (miànzi) - The core cultural concept of "face," social standing, and honor, which a `脸皮厚` person disregards.
  * [[丢脸]] (diūliǎn) - To lose face. The opposite of what a `脸皮厚` person feels. They are immune to losing face.
  * [[不要脸]] (bú yào liǎn) - "To not want face." A much stronger and more direct insult, meaning utterly shameless and despicable. `脸皮厚` describes the trait; `不要脸` is often a direct, angry accusation.
  * [[厚脸皮]] (hòu liǎnpí) - A direct synonym, with the characters swapped. It can also function more like a noun, e.g., `他是个厚脸皮` (tā shì ge hòu liǎnpí) - "He is a shameless person."
  * [[无耻]] (wúchǐ) - A more formal or literary word for "shameless" or "brazen."
  * [[好意思]] (hǎoyìsi) - "To have the nerve to," "to not be embarrassed to." It's often used in rhetorical questions to challenge someone's shameless behavior, e.g., `你好意思吗？` (Nǐ hǎoyìsi ma?) - "Have you no shame?" A person who is `脸皮厚` does not have this sense of embarrassment.