facial feature
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facial feature
An individual feature of the face, such as the shape of the nose, mouth, or eyes, that contributes to the overall impression. The word is usually used in the plural.
Er hatte die markanten Gesichtszüge seines Vaters geerbt.
He had inherited his father's striking facial features.
The word is made up of 'Gesicht' (face) and 'Zug' (feature/line). Here, a 'Zug' can mean a line or a feature. So a 'Gesichtszug' is literally a characteristic feature of the face.
Ihre sanften Gesichtszüge erinnerten ihn an seine Mutter.
Her gentle facial features reminded him of his mother.
Although there is a singular form, 'Gesichtszug' is almost always used in the plural ('die Gesichtszüge' — the facial features). People usually talk about the whole set of features, not just a single one.
Die Gesichtszüge der alten Frau erzählten eine lange Geschichte.
The old woman's facial features told a long story.
'Gesichtszüge' (facial features) is often combined with certain adjectives to describe the character of a face. Common examples are 'markante' (striking), 'feine' (delicate), 'sanfte' (gentle), or 'harte' (hard) Gesichtszüge.
Das Model hatte sehr markante Gesichtszüge.
The model had very striking facial features.
In the figurative meaning, 'Gesichtszüge' (features) describes the typical characteristics of abstract things such as an era, a culture, or a work of art. The expression 'die Gesichtszüge von etwas tragen' (to bear the features of something) is common here.
Der Roman trägt die düsteren Gesichtszüge seiner Zeit.
The novel bears the dark features of its time.
train / move / draft
'der Zug' and 'der Gesichtszug' can both mean a feature of the face. In this meaning, 'Zug' is usually used in the plural: 'die Züge'. But without clear context, the word is easy to misunderstand because 'Zug' has many other meanings. 'Gesichtszug' is more precise because it is immediately clear that it is about the face. 'Gesichtszug' is also usually used in the plural. Learners may confuse the words because 'Züge' and 'Gesichtszüge' are used very similarly. For clear everyday language, 'Gesichtszüge' is often the safer choice.
Die Gesichtszüge des Kindes erinnerten mich an seinen Vater.
The child's facial features reminded me of his father.
Ihre ruhigen Züge verrieten keine Angst.
Her calm features showed no fear.