Beautiful in Chinese
The Chinese word for "beautiful" is 漂亮 (piào liang). 漂亮 is the everyday word for a beautiful woman, dress or room; 美 and 美丽 suit scenery and writing, 好看 means good-looking, and a man is 帅.
Chinese words for beautiful
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| 漂亮 | piào liang | beautiful | The default answer. |
| 美 | měi | beautiful | Beauty in a broad sense: scenery, music, a moment; slightly more poetic than 漂亮. |
| 美丽 | měi lì | beautiful | Written and formal; landscapes, cities, descriptions in essays and speeches. |
| 好看 | hǎo kàn | good-looking; good to watch | Looks of people and things, and films, shows or books that are enjoyable. |
| 帅 | shuài | handsome | For men and boys, and for anything cool or stylish. |
Example sentences
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 你今天真漂亮！ | nǐ jīn tiān zhēn piào liang! | You look beautiful today! |
| 这里的风景很美。 | zhè lǐ de fēng jǐng hěn měi. | The scenery here is beautiful. |
| 这部电影很好看。 | zhè bù diàn yǐng hěn hǎo kàn. | This film is really good. |
| 他长得很帅。 | tā zhǎng de hěn shuài. | He is very handsome. |
| 杭州是一个美丽的城市。 | Háng zhōu shì yī gè měi lì de chéng shì. | Hangzhou is a beautiful city. |
The characters in 漂亮
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning here |
|---|---|---|
| 漂 | piào | used in 漂亮; read piāo it means to float |
| 亮 | liang | bright, shining; read liàng on its own |
Common mistakes
- 漂亮 for a man sounds like 'pretty'; say 帅 for a handsome man.
- 漂 is read piào in 漂亮, and the second syllable is neutral; piāo is 'to float'.
- In 长得很漂亮 'looks beautiful', 长 is zhǎng (to grow), not cháng (long).
- A good film is 好看, not 漂亮: 漂亮 describes appearance only.
Related
Frequently asked questions
How do you say beautiful in Chinese?
漂亮 (piào liang). Other ways: 美 (měi); 美丽 (měi lì); 好看 (hǎo kàn).
What is the difference between 漂亮 and 好看?
Both can mean good-looking, but 好看 also means enjoyable to watch or read, so a film or book is 好看. 漂亮 is about appearance, and can also praise something done well, as in 漂亮的一球.
How do you call a man good-looking in Chinese?
Use 帅 (shuài), as in 他很帅. 好看 also works; 漂亮 for a man sounds like 'pretty'.
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