绚丽 (xuàn lì) — gorgeous, magnificent (esp. of colors, scenery,…

Definition

Used mainly for bright, dazzling colors and visual scenes — stronger and more literary than everyday 漂亮 or 好看, which suit people and ordinary things.

adjective

gorgeousmagnificent (esp. of colors, scenery, or art)

绚丽。
Wǎn xiá de xuàn lì sè cǎi ràng rén táo zuì.
The gorgeous colors of the sunset are intoxicating.
绚丽。
Tā chuān le yí jiàn xuàn lì de lǐ fú chū xí wǎn huì.
She wore a magnificent gown to the evening party.
绚丽，。
Zhè fú huà sè cǎi xuàn lì, lìng rén jīng tàn.
This painting has gorgeous colors and is breathtaking.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

丽lìbeautiful

绚 and 丽 both suggest beauty and brilliance, so together they mean gorgeous.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 絢; 绚 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mì

Sound part声符shēngfú

旬

旬xún絢xuàn

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 絢 uses 糸 (silk) for meaning and 旬 for sound; the simplified 绚 is a shorthand.

A 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.

Appears in