# 粉墨登场

fěn mò dēng chǎng

Make an appearance or enter a role, often theatrically

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Apply makeup and go onto the stage

**Traditional Chinese:** 粉墨登場

**Register:** Standard · expressive

[Change & possibility](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/change)

## When to use it

Describe performance debut or conspicuous public entry.

Political use often carries criticism.

## Understanding the expression

Makeup and stage entrance provide the literal theatrical setting. Beyond actual performance, the expression describes someone stepping into a public role, sometimes with an implication of posturing or concealed identity. Accounts of self-important public behavior often make it critical. A real actor’s appearance can be described neutrally or appreciatively. The surrounding sentence matters because the same image can celebrate a stage debut or question the sincerity of a new public persona.

## Examples

小演员第一次粉墨登场。

### Traditional Chinese

小演員第一次粉墨登場。

xiǎo yǎn yuán dì yī cì fěn mò dēng chǎng 。

The young actor appeared on stage for the first time.

各路候选人纷纷粉墨登场。

### Traditional Chinese

各路候選人紛紛粉墨登場。

gè lù hòu xuǎn rén fēn fēn fěn mò dēng chǎng 。

Candidates of every kind made conspicuous public entrances.

骗子换了身份，又粉墨登场。

### Traditional Chinese

騙子換了身份，又粉墨登場。

piàn zi huàn le shēn fèn ， yòu fěn mò dēng chǎng 。

The swindler adopted a new identity and resurfaced.

她在戏曲节粉墨登场，赢得掌声。

### Traditional Chinese

她在戲曲節粉墨登場，贏得掌聲。

tā zài xì qǔ jié fěn mò dēng chǎng ， yíng dé zhǎng shēng 。

She performed at the opera festival and won applause.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 6, 2026.

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E7%B2%89%E5%A2%A8%E7%99%BB%E5%A0%B4)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=888&webMd=1&la=0)

## Keep exploring

- [风尘仆仆 fēng chén pú pú Look weary or dust-covered from travel ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/feng-chen-pu-pu)

- [风驰电掣 fēng chí diàn chè Move with extraordinary speed ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/feng-chi-dian-che)

- [风调雨顺 fēng tiáo yǔ shùn Have favorable weather for crops ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/feng-tiao-yu-shun)

- [丰衣足食 fēng yī zú shí Have ample food and clothing ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/feng-yi-zu-shi)

## Keep this one close.

Save useful idioms, read offline, and revisit them with flashcards in Almanac.

[View on the App Store ](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6819590452)

[Previous idiom 焚膏继晷 ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/fen-gao-ji-gui) [Next idiom 愤世嫉俗 ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/fen-shi-ji-su)