表情
biǎoqíng · HSK 4
expression
😊 表 = surface/outward + 情 = feeling = facial expression
表 means outer surface (also: watch, chart), and 情 means emotion or feeling. Together: the outward showing of feeling — a facial expression or look. Compare 表面 (surface) and 感情 (emotion).
表 — fur 毛 on top + garment 衣 below
Originally depicted an outer fur garment, with 毛 (fur) above 衣 (clothing), showing the hairy outside of a coat. From 'outer garment' it extended to mean 'outside, surface,' then 'to show, express, display,' and later 'table, chart' as something laid out on the surface.
情 — heart radical 忄 + 青 (qīng)
A semantic-phonetic compound. The heart radical 忄 signals that the meaning involves feelings or inner states, while 青 supplies the sound 'qing'. Originally referring to genuine feelings or emotion arising from the heart, 情 expanded to cover sentiment, affection, and circumstances or situations more broadly.