婀娜多姿 (ē nuó duō zī) — (idiom) lithe and graceful; elegant and varied in posture

Definition

A literary chengyu describing a woman's graceful, supple figure and varied, elegant posture — typically dancers or willow branches, not everyday speech.

idiom
lithe and gracefulelegant and varied in posture

Examples

  • 婀娜多姿，。
    Tā tiào qǐ wǔ lái ē nuó duō zī, shí fēn mí rén.
    When she dances, she is lithe and graceful, very charming.
  • 婀娜多姿，。
    Mó tè r zài tái shàng ē nuó duō zī, xī yǐn le suǒ yǒu rén de mù guāng.
    The model on the stage was elegant and varied in posture, attracting everyone's attention.
  • ，婀娜多姿，。
    Chūn tiān de liǔ tiáo suí fēng yáo yè, ē nuó duō zī, lìng rén xīn zuì.
    The spring willow branches sway in the wind, lithe and graceful, intoxicating the heart.

Origin

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

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
女女nǚ
Sound part声符shēngfú
那
那nà娜
Same sound today

娜 combines 女 (woman) with 那 (nà), which gives its sound.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

多 originally showed two pieces of meat placed together; the repeated meat shape gives the sense of many.

Open 多 →

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
女女nǚwoman
Sound part声符shēngfú
次
次cì姿zī
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

姿 pairs 女, meaning woman, with 次, which gives the sound.

Open 姿 →

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