丽 (lí) — beautiful (bound form, used in compounds)
Definition
丽 is a bound form meaning 'beautiful' — it only appears inside compounds like 美丽 and 华丽; it never stands alone. 美丽 is the standard written word for 'beautiful'; 漂亮 is the everyday spoken choice.
bound form
beautiful (bound form, used in compounds)
Examples
- 。Zhè zuò chéng shì de fēng jǐng hěn měi lí.The scenery of this city is very beautiful.
- 。Tā chuān zhuó yí jiàn huá lí de lǐ fú.She was wearing a gorgeous gown.
- ，。Zhè lǐ de shān shuǐ xiù lí, lìng rén liú lián wàng fǎn.The mountains and waters here are elegant, making people linger and forget to return.
Origin
Pictograph六书liùshū
象形xiàngxíngA drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 麗; 丽 is its simplified writing.
The traditional form 麗 originally showed a deer with antlers. The simplified 丽 is a later shorthand.
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