楚楚动人 (chǔ chǔ dòng rén) — delicate and enchanting; lovely (of a woman's appearance)

Definition

Literary idiom for a woman whose delicate beauty moves onlookers — more formal and evocative than the everyday 漂亮.

idiom
delicate and enchantinglovely (of a woman's appearance)

Examples

  • ，楚楚动人。
    Tā chuān zhuó yì shēn bái qún, kàn qǐ lái chǔ chǔ dòng rén.
    She wore a white dress and looked enchantingly lovely.
  • 楚楚动人，。
    Huà zhōng de nǚ zǐ chǔ chǔ dòng rén, ràng rén yí bù kāi yǎn jing.
    The woman in the painting was so delicate and charming that one couldn't look away.
  • ，楚楚动人。
    Tā suī rán bù shī zhī fěn, què yī rán chǔ chǔ dòng rén.
    Even without makeup, she was still enchantingly lovely.

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.

楚楚delicate/lovely
楚chǔclear/lovely楚chǔclear/lovely
联合Side by side
动人moving people
动dòngmove人rénperson
动宾Verb + object

The delicacy of 楚楚 and the moving charm of 动人 together describe an enchanting person.

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
林林línforest; grove; woods
Sound part声符shēngfú
疋
疋pǐ楚chǔ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The old form combined 林 (forest) with a part like a footprint, perhaps pointing to a place with a group of trees. In 楚, the lower part is written as 疋, which gives the sound and preserves part of that drawing.

Open 楚 →

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
林林línforest; grove; woods
Sound part声符shēngfú
疋
疋pǐ楚chǔ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The old form combined 林 (forest) with a part like a footprint, perhaps pointing to a place with a group of trees. In 楚, the lower part is written as 疋, which gives the sound and preserves part of that drawing.

Open 楚 →

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 動; 动 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
重
重zhòng動dòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 動 uses 力 (strength) and 重 as a sound part; 重 refers to a heavy bag ready to be moved by a human. This note is about 動, not 动.

Open 动 →

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

The shape of 人 shows a side view of a standing person, with an arm and a leg.

Open 人 →

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