Phono-semantic — one part hints at the meaning, another at the sound
Example phrases
新发型让他看起来成熟了不少,但同事差点没认出来。Xīn fàxíng ràng tā kàn qǐlái chéngshú le bù shǎo, dàn tóngshì chàdiǎn méi rèn chūlái.The new hairstyle makes him look much more mature, though his colleagues almost did not recognise him.
理发师问我想要什么样的发型。Lǐfàshī wèn wǒ xiǎng yào shénme yàng de fàxíng.The hairdresser asked me what kind of hairstyle I wanted.
她换了一个短发型,整个人显得很精神。Tā huàn le yí gè duǎn fàxíng, zhěnggè rén xiǎnde hěn jīngshen.She switched to a short hairstyle, and she looks very lively overall.