粉墨登场
fěn mò dēng chǎng
to make up and go on stage; (now often) to step onto the political stage
Character by character
粉fěn
powder
powder
墨mò
ink
ink
登dēng
ascend
ascend
场chǎng
stage
stage
Example
晚会开始了，同学们一个个粉墨登场，表演自己准备的节目。
The evening show began, and one by one the students made up and took the stage to perform their acts.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
粉 is white face powder and 墨 the black ink for brows. Neutral of actors and amateur shows, but in news and history it is usually scornful, of villains or puppets taking office: 各路人物纷纷粉墨登场.
Learn this in Lesson 100 · HSK 6–7: 京剧 (Peking opera)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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