美善 (měi shàn) — (philosophical noun) the beautiful and the good, aesthetic and moral excellence

Definition

A philosophical noun, written/literary, pairing 'beauty and goodness' as a single ideal. Most common in classical and Confucian aesthetics, not everyday speech.

noun
(philosophical noun) the beautiful and the goodaesthetic and moral excellence

Examples

  • 美善。
    Zhè bù zuò pǐn tǐ xiàn le měi shàn de tǒng yī.
    This work embodies the unity of beauty and goodness.
  • 美善。
    Gǔ dài wén rén zhuī qiú měi shàn de jìng jiè.
    Ancient literati pursued the realm of beauty and goodness.
  • 美善。
    měi shàn Shì rú jiā měi xué de zhòng yào gài niàn.
    Beauty and goodness is an important concept in Confucian aesthetics.

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.

美měibeautiful
善shàngood

“美” (beautiful) and “善” (good) are paired to name aesthetic and moral excellence.

Characters in this word

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

美 shows 大, a person, wearing 羊, a headdress of feathers or ram's horn.

Open 美 →

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

An earlier form of 善 joined 羊, a sheep linked with goodness or beauty, and 誩, described as a wrangle; the reference says this meaning link is hard to understand.

Open 善 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.