古雅 (gǔ yā) — classic elegance; classic taste

Definition

Used to describe things (objects, styles, spaces) with an elegant, refined quality rooted in tradition — older or more literarily flavored than simply 漂亮 or 好看, and applied to a thing's aesthetic, not a person's looks.

adjective
classic eleganceclassic taste

Examples

  • 古雅。
    Zhè jiàn cí qì fēi cháng gǔ yā.
    This piece of porcelain is very classic and elegant.
  • 古雅。
    Tā de shū fáng bù zhì dé shí fēn gǔ yā.
    His study is decorated with classic elegance.
  • 古雅。
    Zhè zhǒng gǔ yā de fēng gé zài xiàn dài shè jì zhōng hěn shǎo jiàn.
    This classic elegant style is rarely seen in modern design.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

古gǔancient
雅yǎelegant

古 and 雅 mean ancient and elegant; the pair gives the sense of classic elegance.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

One reading of 古 sees a shield-like shape above an open mark, showing strength and firmness. Another sees a person spitting out bad-tasting food.

Open 古 →

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
隹隹zhuīa short-tailed bird
Sound part声符shēngfú
牙
牙yá雅yǎ
Same sound today

雅 pairs 隹, a short-tailed bird, with 牙 as its sound part; the bird was a rook/crow, and the sense was extended to refined.

Open 雅 →

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