争面子 zhēng miàn zi

DEFINITIONS

  1. to do (sb) proud
  2. to be a credit to (one's school etc)
  3. to make oneself look good
  4. to build up one's image

CHARACTERS

争 zhēng dispute, fight, contend, strive
面 miàn face; surface; plane; side, dimension
子 zi offspring, child; fruit, seed of; 1st terrestrial branch