complexion
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++com·plex·ion /kəmˈplekʃən/ noun 1 [countable]DCB the natural colour or appearance of the skin on your face 面色，面容，气色 Drinking water is good for the complexion. 喝水让气色变好。pale/fair/ruddy etc complexion (=a pale, fair, red etc face) 苍白/白皙/红润等的面色fair-complexioned/smooth-complexioned etc She was fair-complexioned with blonde hair. 她皮肤白皙，一头金发。2 [singular]CHARACTER OF something the general character or nature of something 一般性质；一般特征 Crime has risen under governments of every political complexion. 无论什么样的政府当政，犯罪率都在上升。3 put a different/new/fresh complexion on something to make a situation or event seem different 使形势[事情]改变 This document puts a different complexion on the matter. 这份文件使事情有了新的变化。n COLLOCATIONSadjectivespale (=lacking colour and often not healthy)Her complexion was pale and spotty.fair (=light in colour)People with fair complexions should use plenty of sunscreen.darkBright colours may suit you if your complexion is dark.clear (=without any spots)Eating fresh fruit and vegetables will help keep your complexion clear.a fresh/healthy complexion (=healthy and clean)a young man with a fresh complexiona flawless/perfect complexion (=perfect and with no marks or spots)Foundation is meant to give the illusion of a flawless complexion.a tanned complexion (=brown because of the sun)He looked distinguished with his greying hair and tanned complexion.a ruddy complexion (=reddish in colour – used mostly about men)He had black hair and a ruddy complexion.a florid complexion literary (=red in an unpleasant or unhealthy way)He had the florid complexion of a man who drinks too much.an olive complexion (=the skin colour that is typical of Greek, Italian, Turkish etc people)These colours complement an olive complexion.a glowing/rosy/pink complexion (=healthy and pink – used about women or children)a sallow complexion (=slightly yellow)A sallow complexion can be a sign of illness.a swarthy complexion literary (=dark)She had never met anyone with his swarthy complexion.a bad complexion (=with spots or marks on it)a blotchy complexion (=with unpleasant red patches of colour in the skin)
Examples from the Corpus
complexion• The Trinity House records of the time describe him as 5 feet 8 inches tall, with black hair and dark complexion.• She has collar-length curly blonde hair, brown eyes and a fair complexion.• His eyes were an astounding blue and his complexion was ruddy from a life spent mostly at sea.• Alice is lighter in complexion than her mother.• To describe myself as Black in a situation where most people shared my complexion was absurd.• The difference goes far deeper than the political complexion of the government.• If their complexion was their most celebrated feature, then perhaps a long necklace of perfect pearls.• Too much sun is bad for your complexion.pale/fair/ruddy etc complexion• She has collar-length curly blonde hair, brown eyes and a fair complexion.• He was a small man with a shock of white hair, and a ruddy complexion from his liking for port.• Ada was a particularly striking young lady, with a pale complexion contrasted by very dark hair.• He identified Davis as one of the people and described the other as a stocky woman with a ruddy complexion.• Some of the mummies had long, dark hair and incredibly well preserved faces, even an almost fair complexion.• Ritu had been chosen on account of her suitable family background and her fair complexion.• No emotion showed on Dempster's impassive face, only a slight pallor in his normally ruddy complexion.• A non-smoker and a teetotaller, Taylor was stockily built and of fair complexion.Origin complexion (1300-1400) Old French Medieval Latin complexio, from Latin, “combination”, from complexus; → COMPLEX1com·plex·ion noun →n COLLOCATIONS1LDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable
the appearance or Corpus colour the of natural
complexion
com‧plex‧ion /kəmˈplekʃən/
noun
Drinking water is good for the complexion.
pale/fair/ruddy etc complexion (=a pale, fair, red etc face)
fair-complexioned/smooth-complexioned etc
She was fair-complexioned with blonde hair.
2. [singular] the general character or nature of something:
Crime has risen under governments of every political complexion.
3. put a different/new/fresh complexion on something to make a situation or event seem different:
This document puts a different complexion on the matter.
■ adjectives
▪pale (=lacking colour and often not healthy) Her complexion was pale and spotty.
▪fair (=light in colour) People with fair complexions should use plenty of sunscreen.
▪dark Bright colours may suit you if your complexion is dark.
▪clear (=without any spots) Eating fresh fruit and vegetables will help keep your complexion clear.
▪a fresh/healthy complexion (=healthy and clean) a young man with a fresh complexion
▪a flawless/perfect complexion (=perfect and with no marks or spots) Foundation is meant to give the illusion of a flawless complexion.
▪a tanned complexion (=brown because of the sun) He looked distinguished with his greying hair and tanned complexion.
▪a ruddy complexion (=reddish in colour – used mostly about men) He had black hair and a ruddy complexion.
▪a florid complexion literary (=red in an unpleasant or unhealthy way) He had the florid complexion of a man who drinks too much.
▪an olive complexion (=the skin colour that is typical of Greek, Italian, Turkish etc people) These colours complement an olive complexion.
▪a glowing/rosy/pink complexion (=healthy and pink – used about women or children)
▪a sallow complexion (=slightly yellow) A sallow complexion can be a sign of illness.
▪a swarthy complexion literary (=dark) She had never met anyone with his swarthy complexion.
▪a bad complexion (=with spots or marks on it)
▪a blotchy complexion (=with unpleasant red patches of colour in the skin)
com‧plex‧ion /kəmˈplekʃən/
noun Date: 1300-1400
Language: Old French
Origin: Medieval Latin complexio, from Latin, 'combination', from complexus; ⇨ complex1
1. [countable] the natural colour or appearance of the skin on your face:Language: Old French
Origin: Medieval Latin complexio, from Latin, 'combination', from complexus; ⇨ complex1
pale/fair/ruddy etc complexion (=a pale, fair, red etc face)
fair-complexioned/smooth-complexioned etc
2. [singular] the general character or nature of something:
3. put a different/new/fresh complexion on something to make a situation or event seem different:
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A person may be described as having 描述一个人的长相可用 have 一词：
Eyes 眼睛
(bright) blue/green/(dark/light) brown/hazel eyes （明亮的）蓝／绿／（深／浅）棕色／浅绿褐色眼睛 deep-set/sunken/bulging/protruding eyes 凹陷的／凸出的眼睛 small/beady/sparkling/twinkling/ ( shiftyeyes 小的／小珠般圆亮的／亮晶晶的／闪闪发亮的／贼溜溜的眼睛 piercing/penetrating/steely eyes 敏锐的／锐利的眼睛；冷冰冰的眼神 bloodshot/watery/puffy eyes 布满血丝的／水汪汪的／肿胀的眼睛 bushy/thick/dark/raised/arched eyebrows 浓密的／扬起的／弓形的眉毛 long/dark/thick/curly/false eyelashes/lashes 长长的／浓密的／弯曲的／假的眼睫毛
Face 脸
a flat/bulbous/pointed/sharp/snub nose 塌／蒜头／尖头／尖／短平而上翘的鼻子 a straight/a hooked/a Roman/ ( an aquilinenose 挺直的鼻子；鹰钩鼻；高鼻梁；鹰钩鼻 full/thick/thin/pouty lips 丰满的／厚／薄／翘嘴唇 dry/chapped/cracked lips 干的／皲裂的／干裂的嘴唇 flushed/rosy/red/ruddy/pale cheeks 发红的／红润的／苍白的面颊 soft/chubby/sunken cheeks 柔嫩的／胖乎乎的／凹陷的面颊 white/perfect/crooked/protruding teeth 洁白的／完好无缺的／参差不齐的／凸出来的牙齿 a large/high/broad/wide/sloping forehead 大大的／高高的／宽大的／后倾的前额 a strong/weak/pointed/double chin 硬朗的／瘦削的／尖／双下巴 a long/full/bushy/wispy/goatee beard 长／大／浓密的／一小撮／山羊胡子 a long/thin/bushy/droopy/handlebar/pencil moustache/ ( especially
mustache 长长的／稀疏的／浓密的／耷拉着的／翘／细直的八字胡
Hair and skin 头发和皮肤
pale/fair/olive/dark/tanned skin 苍白的／白皙的／橄榄色的／黝黑的／晒黑的皮肤 dry/oily/smooth/rough/leathery/wrinkled skin 干性的／油性的／光滑的／粗糙的／有皱纹的皮肤 a dark/a pale/a light/a sallow/a ruddy/an olive/a swarthy/a clear complexion 黝黑的／苍白的／白皙的／蜡黄的／红润的／浅褐色的／黝黑的／无瑕的面容 deep/fine/little/facial wrinkles 深深的／细小的／小的／面部的皱纹 blonde/blond/fair/(light/dark) brown/(jet-)black/auburn/red/ ( ginger/greyBrE hair 金黄色的／浅色的／（浅／深）棕色的／乌黑的／红褐色的／红色的／姜黄色的／灰白色的头发 straight/curly/wavy/frizzy/spiky hair 直发；鬈发；波浪形的／鬈曲的／刺猬式的头发 thick/thin/fine/bushy/thinning hair 厚密的／稀疏的／纤细的／浓密的／逐渐稀少的头发 dyed/bleached/soft/silky/dry/greasy/shiny hair 染了色的／漂白了的／柔顺的／丝滑的／干性的／油性的／有光泽的头发 long/short/shoulder-length/cropped hair 长／短／齐肩／剪短了的头发 a bald/balding/shaved head 秃头；开始秃顶的头；剃光了的头 a receding hairline 后移的发际线 a bald patch/spot 秃了的一块 a side/centre/ ( center( BrE parting/ ( NAmE part 偏分；中分
Body 身体
a long/short/thick/slender/ ( scrawnyneck 长／短／粗／细／干瘦的脖子 broad/narrow/sloping/rounded/hunched shoulders 宽／窄／斜／圆／耸肩膀 a bare/broad/muscular/small/large chest 赤裸的／宽阔的／肌肉发达的胸膛；小胸；大胸 a flat/swollen/bulging stomach 扁平的／鼓胀的／鼓起的肚子 a small/tiny/narrow/slim/slender/28-inch waist 纤细的／28 英寸的腰 big/wide/narrow/slim hips 大的／宽的／窄小的／苗条的臀部 a straight/a bent/an arched/a broad/a hairy back 直的／弯曲的／弓着的／宽大的／多毛的背部 thin/slender/muscular arms 瘦削的／细长的／肌肉发达的臂膀 big/large/small/manicured/calloused/gloved hands 大的／小的／修剪整齐的／有老茧的／戴着手套的手 long/short/fat/slender/delicate/bony fingers 长的／短的／粗的／细长的／纤细的／瘦削的手指 long/muscular/hairy/shapely/ ( skinny/spindlyboth
often
legs 长的／肌肉发达的／多毛的／有曲线美的／皮包骨的／干瘦的腿 muscular/chubby/ ( flabbythighs 肌肉发达的／胖乎乎的／肥胖的大腿 big/little/small/dainty/wide/narrow/bare feet 大的／小的／娇小可爱的／宽的／窄的／光着的脚 a good/a slim/a slender/an hourglass figure 好的／修长的／苗条的／沙漏形身材 be of slim/medium/average/large/athletic/stockybuild 有着苗条的／中等的／普通的／大块头的／健壮的／矮壮的身材
