唇膏
chúngāo
In Chinese, the English phrase "lipstick" is expressed as 唇膏 (chúngāo) or 口红 / 口紅. Wiktionary also lists 口紅 / 口红 (kǒuhóng).
Meaning: make-up for the lips (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 唇膏 | chúngāo |
| 口紅 / 口红 | kǒuhóng |
Both terms are used to refer to lipstick, but they carry different nuances regarding the specific type of product being described.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 唇膏 is composed of 唇 (lip) and 膏 (paste/ointment/cream). The term 口红 / 口紅 is composed of 口 (mouth) and 红 (red).
Which one should you use?
唇膏 (chúngāo) is a broad term that can refer to both colored lipstick and colorless lip balm. In contrast, 口红 (kǒuhóng) specifically refers to colored lipstick.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In mainland China, 口红 is the most common term used for colored lipstick. Note that 口红 is the simplified Chinese spelling, while 口紅 is the traditional Chinese spelling.
How do you pronounce it?
chúngāo
Did you know?
- The term 口红 is an orthographic borrowing from the Japanese word 口紅 (kuchibeni), meaning the written characters were adopted from Japanese usage.
- While 口红 focuses on the color red, Chinese speakers use the same word regardless of whether the lipstick is actually red, pink or purple.
- The character 红 (red) used in 口红 is a fundamental color in Chinese culture, symbolizing luck and joy.
Examples in context
- 我喜欢这种口红的颜色。I like the color of this lipstick.
- 这支唇膏的颜色很漂亮。Zhè zhī chūngāo de yánsè hěn piàoliang.The color of this lipstick is very beautiful.
- 我想买一支新的唇膏。Wǒ xiǎng mǎi yī zhī xīn de chūngāo.I want to buy a new lipstick.
- 你的唇膏放在包里了吗？Nǐ de chūngāo fàng zài bāo lǐ le ma?Is your lipstick in your bag?
Example conversation
A woman is looking for her makeup in a shopping mall.
- 伟 Wei晓雯，你在找什么？Xiǎowén, nǐ zài zhǎo shénme?Xiaowen, what are you looking for?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我在找我的唇膏。Wǒ zài zhǎo wǒ de chūngāo.I am looking for my lipstick.
- 伟 Wei是在那边的柜台吗？Shì zài nàbiān de guìtái ma?Is it at that counter over there?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen对，找到了，谢谢你。Duì, zhǎodào le, xièxiè nǐ.Yes, found it, thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lipstick” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 口紅, CC BY-SA 4.0.
