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修长 (xiū cháng) — tall and slender, elegantly slim

Definition

Describes a body or body part that is long and slender with an elegant, graceful shape. Stronger and more aesthetic than 细 ('thin, fine'); more refined and physical-form-focused than 苗条 ('slim, of a figure').

adjective
tall and slenderelegantly slim

Examples

  • 修长。
    Tā yǒu yì shuāng xiū cháng de tuǐ.
    She has a pair of slender legs.
  • 修长。
    Zhè wèi wǔ zhě de gē bo fēi cháng xiū cháng.
    This dancer's arms are very slender.
  • 修长，。
    Tā shēn cái xiū cháng, hěn shì hé dāng mó tè.
    He has a tall and slender figure, very suitable to be a model.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

修xiūlong/slender
长chánglong

修 suggests length or slenderness and 长 also suggests length, together describing tall slimness.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
彡彡shān
Sound part声符shēngfú
攸
攸yōu修xiū
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

修 is built from 攸, which gives the sound, and 彡, a set of three strokes that shows the meaning.

Open 修 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 長; 长 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 長 pictures an old man with long hair. The simplified 长 is a later shorthand, so its strokes do not show that original picture.

Open 长 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Size & Dimension

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