護膚 / 护肤
hùfū
To say skincare in Chinese, use 護膚 / 护肤 (hùfū). If unsure, use 護膚 / 护肤. Wiktionary also lists 皮膚護理 / 皮肤护理 (pífū hùlǐ).
Meaning: care of the skin (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 護膚 / 护肤 | hùfū |
| 皮膚護理 / 皮肤护理 | pífū hùlǐ |
For skincare products such as lotions and creams, add 品 (pǐn) to get 護膚品.
What does it mean word for word?
護 means to protect or care for and 膚 means skin.
Which one should you use?
護膚 is the usual word for skincare as a concept or routine, while 皮膚護理 / 皮肤护理 (pífū hùlǐ) sounds more like a professional service or treatment.
How do you pronounce it?
In pinyin it is hùfū, with a falling tone and then a high level tone.
Did you know?
- In Chinese culture, the term 護膚 is often linked to the concept of 養生 ('yǎngshēng'), which means nourishing life. This means skincare is frequently viewed as a part of internal health and longevity rather than just external beauty.
- The character 護 ('hù') used in 護膚 is the same character used for 'defending' a fortress or 'protecting' a border.
- The word for skin 皮膚 ('pífū') uses the character 皮 ('pí'), which is also the word for 'leather'.
Examples in context
- 我对护肤很重视。I attach great importance to skincare.
- 她是个护肤专家。She is a skincare expert.
- 你有什么好的护肤品推荐吗？Do you have any skincare product recommendations?
- 我需要买一些护肤品。I need to buy some skincare products.
- 我更喜欢天然护肤品。I prefer natural skincare products.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “skincare” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
