Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== dòudou: 痘痘 - Pimple, Zit, Acne ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** doudou, 痘痘, Chinese for pimple, Chinese for acne, zhang dou dou, 长痘痘, squeeze pimple in Chinese, 挤痘痘, skincare in China, C-beauty, Chinese beauty standards, 上火, shànghuǒ, 青春痘, qīngchūndòu. * **Summary:** "Dòudou" (痘痘) is the common Chinese word for pimples, zits, or a breakout. It's an essential term for anyone interested in daily life, health, and skincare culture in China (C-beauty). Far more than just a blemish, understanding "doudou" and related phrases like "zhǎng dòudou" (长痘痘, to get a pimple) offers a window into Chinese beauty standards and the popular Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) concept of "shànghuǒ" (上火), or internal heat, as a cause for skin issues. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** dòudou * **Part of Speech:** Noun * **HSK Level:** N/A (but an extremely common daily-life word) * **Concise Definition:** A small, inflamed spot on the skin; a pimple or zit. * **In a Nutshell:** `痘痘` is the everyday, informal word you use to talk about pimples. Think of how you'd complain to a friend, "Ugh, I got a zit!"—that's the perfect context for `痘痘`. The reduplication of the character `痘` (dòu) makes it feel colloquial and common, a part of everyday life (even if it's an unwelcome one). It can refer to a single pimple or a general breakout of acne. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **痘 (dòu):** This character is a great example of a phono-semantic compound. * The radical on the left is **`疒` (nè)**, which means "sickness" or "illness." This radical is found in many characters related to diseases and ailments. * The component on the right is **`豆` (dòu)**, which means "bean." It provides the sound for the character. * **Combining the Characters:** The character `痘` (dòu) literally paints a picture of a "bean-like sickness," a perfect visual for a small, round blemish on the skin. Repeating it to form **`痘痘` (dòudou)** is a common form of Chinese emphasis called reduplication, which makes the term more conversational and suitable for everyday use. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== In Chinese culture, particularly among younger generations, the concept of `痘痘` carries significant weight, tying into deep-seated ideas about health, beauty, and self-care. * **Beauty Standards & Social Pressure:** Clear, flawless skin is a cornerstone of modern Chinese beauty ideals, often portrayed as "porcelain" or "glass" skin. This ideal is heavily promoted by celebrities and social media influencers. As a result, having `痘痘` can be a major source of stress and social anxiety, making it a frequent topic of conversation and a huge driver of the C-beauty (Chinese Beauty) market. * **Connection to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM):** This is a key cultural difference from the West. While Western medicine views acne primarily as a dermatological issue caused by bacteria, hormones, and oil, TCM often links `痘痘` to an internal imbalance, specifically **`上火` (shànghuǒ)**, or "excessive internal heat." * **Western View:** "I have a pimple because my pores are clogged." * **Chinese View:** "I'm getting pimples (我长痘痘了) because I've been eating too much spicy food and now I have `上火` (internal heat)." * Different locations of `痘痘` are even believed to signal problems with specific internal organs (e.g., forehead acne linked to the heart/stress, chin acne to the digestive/hormonal system). This holistic view means that remedies often include dietary changes (like drinking herbal teas) in addition to topical treatments. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== `痘痘` is an extremely common word used in various informal situations. * **Daily Conversation:** People use it to complain about their skin, share skincare tips, and discuss health. A very common phrase is **`长痘痘` (zhǎng dòudou)**, which literally means "to grow a pimple." * **Skincare and Advertising:** The character `痘` is everywhere in the skincare aisle. You'll see products with claims like **`祛痘` (qùdòu)**, which means "to eliminate/treat pimples." * **Social Media:** On platforms like Weibo and Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book), the hashtag #痘痘 is massive. Users share product reviews, "pimple-popping" videos (a popular guilty pleasure), and tips for covering or treating breakouts. * **Common Phrases:** * `长痘痘 (zhǎng dòudou)` - to get a pimple/break out. * `挤痘痘 (jǐ dòudou)` - to squeeze a pimple. (Often followed by advice not to do it!) * `发痘痘 (fā dòudou)` - another way to say "break out," similar to `长痘痘`. ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 天啊，我的鼻子上长了一颗大**痘痘**！ * Pinyin: Tiān a, wǒ de bízi shàng zhǎng le yí kē dà **dòudou**! * English: Oh my gosh, I got a big pimple on my nose! * Analysis: This is a classic, everyday complaint. `长了 (zhǎng le)` means "grew," the standard verb for getting a pimple. `一颗 (yì kē)` is a measure word for small, round things. * **Example 2:** * 你最好别用手挤**痘痘**，不然会留疤的。 * Pinyin: Nǐ zuìhǎo bié yòng shǒu jǐ **dòudou**, bùrán huì liú bā de. * English: You'd better not squeeze your pimples with your hands, or else you'll get scars. * Analysis: `挤痘痘 (jǐ dòudou)` is a very common verb phrase. This sentence is a typical piece of advice a friend or parent might give. * **Example 3:** * 我最近压力很大，所以脸上不停地长**痘痘**。 * Pinyin: Wǒ zuìjìn yālì hěn dà, suǒyǐ liǎn shàng bù tíng de zhǎng **dòudou**. * English: I've been under a lot of stress lately, so I keep getting pimples on my face. * Analysis: This sentence shows the common understanding that stress can cause breakouts. * **Example 4:** * 这款祛**痘**产品效果怎么样？ * Pinyin: Zhè kuǎn qù**dòu** chǎnpǐn xiàoguǒ zěnmeyàng? * English: How effective is this acne-fighting product? * Analysis: Here, `痘` is used in `祛痘 (qùdòu)`, a compound word meaning "to treat acne." This is very common in commercial contexts. `款 (kuǎn)` is a measure word for products. * **Example 5:** * 你是不是上火了？额头上的**痘痘**好多。 * Pinyin: Nǐ shì bu shì shànghuǒ le? Étóu shàng de **dòudou** hǎo duō. * English: Do you have 'internal heat'? You have so many pimples on your forehead. * Analysis: This is a perfect example linking `痘痘` to the TCM concept of `上火 (shànghuǒ)`. It shows how culture is embedded in daily language. * **Example 6:** * 吃太多辣的或者油炸的食物容易长**痘痘**。 * Pinyin: Chī tài duō là de huòzhě yóuzhá de shíwù róngyì zhǎng **dòudou**. * English: Eating too much spicy or deep-fried food makes it easy to get pimples. * Analysis: This demonstrates the widespread belief in dietary triggers for acne in China. * **Example 7:** * 青春期的时候，我脸上全是**痘痘**。 * Pinyin: Qīngchūnqī de shíhou, wǒ liǎn shàng quán shì **dòudou**. * English: During puberty, my face was covered in acne. * Analysis: Shows how `痘痘` can be used to describe the general condition of acne, especially in the past tense. `青春期 (qīngchūnqī)` means puberty. * **Example 8:** * 这颗**痘痘**又红又肿，疼死我了。 * Pinyin: Zhè kē **dòudou** yòu hóng yòu zhǒng, téng sǐ wǒ le. * English: This pimple is red and swollen, it's killing me. * Analysis: The `又...又... (yòu...yòu...)` structure is used to list two qualities. `疼死我了 (téng sǐ wǒ le)` is a common exaggeration meaning "it hurts so much." * **Example 9:** * 我不想化妆，因为我怕堵塞毛孔，让**痘痘**更严重。 * Pinyin: Wǒ bù xiǎng huàzhuāng, yīnwèi wǒ pà dǔsè máokǒng, ràng **dòudou** gèng yánzhòng. * English: I don't want to wear makeup because I'm afraid it will clog my pores and make my acne worse. * Analysis: This sentence uses more specific skincare vocabulary like `化妆 (huàzhuāng)` (to put on makeup) and `堵塞毛孔 (dǔsè máokǒng)` (to clog pores). * **Example 10:** * **痘痘**下去了，可是留下了很多红色的痘印。 * Pinyin: **Dòudou** xiàqù le, kěshì liú xià le hěn duō hóngsè de dòuyìn. * English: The pimples have gone down, but they left behind a lot of red marks. * Analysis: Introduces the related and very important concept of `痘印 (dòuyìn)`, or the post-acne marks/scars. `下去了 (xiàqù le)` is a colloquial way to say something has subsided or gone away. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **`痘痘` vs. `青春痘` vs. `痤疮`:** * **`痘痘` (dòudou):** The general, informal term for "pimple(s)" or "zit(s)." Use this in 95% of daily conversations. * **`青春痘` (qīngchūndòu):** Literally "youth pimple." Refers specifically to teenage acne but is also used colloquially by adults to refer to acne in general. It's slightly more formal than `痘痘`. * **`痤疮` (cuóchuāng):** The formal, medical term for "acne." You would see this on a doctor's report or in a medical journal, but you would almost never say it in a conversation with a friend. Using `痤疮` in a casual chat would sound overly clinical and strange. * **Don't Just Translate, Contextualize:** A common mistake is to think of `痘痘` only in a Western dermatological context. Remember the cultural link to `上火` (internal heat). When a Chinese friend complains about `痘痘`, a culturally aware response might be, "Have you been eating a lot of spicy food lately?" (`你最近是不是吃了很多辣的？`) rather than just "Oh, that's too bad." * **Always use the pair `痘痘`:** While `痘` exists as a character, it's almost never used alone as a noun in modern Mandarin. Always say the full, reduplicated word `痘痘`. The main exception is in compound words like `祛痘 (qùdòu)`. ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * [[上火]] (shànghuǒ) - A core TCM concept of "internal heat," widely seen as the primary cause of pimples, canker sores, and sore throats. * [[青春痘]] (qīngchūndòu) - "Youth pimples"; the common term for teenage acne. * [[祛痘]] (qùdòu) - A verb phrase meaning "to eliminate/treat pimples," commonly seen on skincare products. * [[痘印]] (dòuyìn) - "Pimple marks"; the post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (red or brown spots) left after a pimple heals. * [[挤痘痘]] (jǐ dòudou) - The verb phrase "to squeeze a pimple." * [[粉刺]] (fěncì) - A more specific term for blackheads and whiteheads (comedones). * [[痤疮]] (cuóchuāng) - The formal, medical term for acne vulgaris. * [[护肤]] (hùfū) - The general term for "skincare." * [[油性皮肤]] (yóuxìng pífū) - "Oily skin," a skin type often associated with getting `痘痘`. * [[毛孔]] (máokǒng) - "Pores" (on the skin).