礼貌

lǐ mào

courtesy; politeness

HSK Level 5

Example Sentences

他很有礼貌,总是对人很客气。

tā hěn yǒu lǐmào, zǒngshì duì rén hěn kèqì.

He is very polite and always courteous to others.

在公共场合要注意礼貌,不要大声喧哗。

zài gōnggòng chǎnghé yào zhùyì lǐmào, bùyào dàshēng xuānhuā.

Pay attention to politeness in public places and don't talk loudly.

与人交谈时要保持礼貌,不要打断别人的话。

yǔ rén jiāotán shí yào bǎochí lǐmào, bùyào dǎduàn biérén de huà.

Be polite when talking to others and don't interrupt them.

Synonyms

礼仪 (lǐyí)

etiquette

礼节 (lǐjié)

courtesy

Antonyms

无礼 (wú lǐ)

impolite

粗鲁 (cū lǔ)

rude

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Etymology & Components

The Chinese word 礼貌 (lǐmào) for "politeness" or "courtesy" is composed of two characters: 礼 (lǐ) and 貌 (mào). The character 礼 originally meant "ritual" or "ceremony" in ancient China, and it gradually extended to mean "courtesy" or "etiquette". The character 貌 originally meant "appearance" or "face", and it later came to mean "manner" or "demeanor". When combined, the two characters 礼貌 (lǐmào) form a compound word that means "politeness" or "courtesy". This word is often used to describe the behavior of a person who is respectful and considerate of others.