Visage means a face — but it is a literary word, and choosing it instead of "face" changes the temperature of the sentence. Writers use it when the face is being read like a landscape or a sign: a stern visage, a pale visage, his visage darkened.

Visage meansVisage的意思是 a face臉 — but但 it is a literary word這是一個文學性的字, and而 choosing it instead of "face"選它而不選「face」 changes the temperature of the sentence會改變整個句子的溫度。Writers use it作家會用它 when the face is being read like a landscape or a sign在把臉當成一片風景或一種徵兆來讀的時候：a stern visagea stern visage（嚴峻的面容）, a pale visagea pale visage（蒼白的面容）, his visage darkenedhis visage darkened（他的面容暗了下來）。

Poems, novels, and old translations are its natural home. In ordinary speech it would sound odd, even comic; nobody says "wash your visage".

Poems, novels, and old translations詩、小說，還有老翻譯 are its natural home是它自然的家。In ordinary speech在日常口語裡，it would sound odd, even comic這樣講會聽起來很奇怪，甚至有點搞笑；nobody says沒有人會說 "wash your visage"「wash your visage」。

Because it belongs to writing, it tends to attach to a whole impression rather than to the parts. You would not describe someone's visage as having a scratch on the left cheek. You describe what it shows — mood, character, age, dignity.

Because it belongs to writing因為它屬於書面文字，it tends to attach to a whole impression它比較會依附在整體印象上 rather than to the parts而不是身體的某個部位上。You would not describe someone's visage你不會用「visage」去形容某人 as having a scratch on the left cheek左臉頰上有一道抓痕。You describe what it shows你形容的是它所顯露出來的東西——mood, character, age, dignity情緒、性格、年紀、尊嚴。

A second, extended use is common in journalism: the visage of something abstract, meaning the outward face it presents. "The changing visage of the city." This is a deliberate stretch of the word, and it works because everyone can hear the metaphor.

A second, extended use is common in journalism第二種延伸用法在新聞寫作裡很常見：the visage of something abstractthe visage of something abstract, meaning the outward face it presents指某個抽象事物所呈現出來的外在面貌。"The changing visage of the city."「The changing visage of the city.」（這座城市不斷變化的面貌） This is a deliberate stretch of the word這是刻意延伸這個字的用法, and而 it works because everyone can hear the metaphor之所以行得通，是因為大家都聽得出這個比喻。

You will meet visage most often in fixed literary settings — Shakespeare, hymns, fantasy writing, subtitles for period drama. Recognise it; you rarely need to produce it.

You will meet visage most often你最常會遇到visage in fixed literary settings在固定的文學場景裡——Shakespeare, hymns, fantasy writing, subtitles for period drama莎士比亞、聖歌、奇幻寫作、古裝劇的字幕。Recognise it認得它就好；you rarely need to produce it你很少需要自己用出來。