Saving face/ losing face

Posted by ESC on January 11, 2004

In Reply to: Saving face posted by Rachel on January 10, 2004

: Does anyone know the origin of this idiom, or of it's close cousin "Losing face"? Were they adopted to English from Chinese Japanese? Or did they exist in the language regardless of the Asian concept of "Face"?

: Thank to whoever answer this

: Rachel

Here's what one reference says:

LOSING FACE - "The Chinese have a phrase for losing one's dignity before others, and 'tiu lien' was simply translated into 'to lose face' by English traders there in the late 19th century. These same English, however, invented the phrase 'to save face,' 'to maintain one's dignity,' using the Chinese model." From Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins by Robert Hendrickson (Facts on File, New York, 1997).

• Chinese or Japanese ESC 11/January/04
  • Saving Face Charlie 24/January/04