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英秀 (yīng xiù) — (literary) handsome and spirited; (literary) person of outstanding ability

Definition

Literary adjective praising a person as 'handsome and talented' — combines good looks with outstanding ability in one term. Use only in formal writing; spoken Chinese uses 才俊 or 英才 instead.

verb
(literary) handsome and spirited(literary) person of outstanding ability

Examples

  • ，英秀，。
    Zhè wèi qīng nián cái jùn, róng mào yīng xiù, cái huá chū zhòng.
    This young talent has a handsome and spirited appearance and outstanding abilities.
  • 英秀，。
    Tā shì yí wèi yīng xiù zhī shì, shēn shòu dà jiā zūn jìng.
    He is a person of outstanding ability, deeply respected by everyone.
  • 英秀，。
    Huà zhōng rén wù yīng xiù tǐng bá, qì yǔ xuān áng.
    The figures in the painting are handsome and spirited, with an imposing bearing.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

英yīngoutstanding
秀xiùelegant

"英" and "秀" both convey outstanding elegance, giving the sense of handsome, spirited excellence.

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
艹Written in full as艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
央
央yāng英yīng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

英 pairs 艹 (grass) with 央, which gives the sound.

Open 英 →

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

秀 pairs 禾 (rice plant) with 引 (to draw out flowers), showing a rice plant putting out flowers.

Open 秀 →
Appears in
AppearancePersonality & Traits

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