save face

English

Etymology

See lose face.

Verb

save face (third-person singular simple present saves face, present participle saving face, simple past and past participle saved face)

1. (idiomatic, intransitive) To take an action or make a gesture intended to preserve one's reputation or honour.

   He tried to make reparations to those he had injured, partly to save face.

Translations

preserve reputation

• Arabic: حَفِظَ مَاءَ الوَجْهِ (ḥafiẓa māʔa l-wajhi)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 挽回面子 (wǎnhuí miànzi)

• Czech: zachránit tvář
• Esperanto: savi la vizaĝon
• Estonian: au päästma
• Finnish: pelastaa kasvonsa
• French: sauver la face (fr)
• German: das Gesicht wahren
• Japanese: 顔を立てる (かおをたてる, kao o tateru), 面目を保つ (めんぼくをたもつ, menboku o tamotsu)
• Khmer: ទុកមុខអោយ (tukmukʼaoy)
• Korean: please add this translation if you can
• Malay: jaga air muka
• Mongolian: please add this translation if you can
• Persian: آبروداری کردن (âb(e)ru-dâri kardan)
• Polish: zachować twarz pf
• Portuguese: livrar a cara
• Russian: сохрани́ть лицо́ pf (soxranítʹ licó)
• Swedish: rädda ansiktet
• Thai: please add this translation if you can
• Tibetan: please add this translation if you can
• Vietnamese: giữ thể diện

See also

• give face
• lose face
• cut off one's nose to spite one's face