měi lì
pretty
她很美丽。
Tā hěn měilì.
She is very beautiful.
这座城市很美丽。
Zhè zuò chéngshì hěn měilì.
This city is very beautiful.
这幅画很美丽。
Zhè fù huà hěn měilì.
This painting is very beautiful.
漂亮 (piàoliang)
beautiful, pretty
俊俏 (jùnqiào)
handsome, pretty
丑陋 (chǒulòu)
ugly
难看 (nánkàn)
unsightly
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The Chinese word 美丽 (měilì) for "beautiful" is composed of two characters: 美 (měi) and 丽 (lì). The character 美 originally meant "delicious" or "tasty", and was often used to describe food. Over time, its meaning expanded to include other sensory pleasures, such as beauty and attractiveness. The character 丽 originally meant "bright" or "shining", and was often used to describe the sun or stars. When combined, the two characters 美 and 丽 create the word 美丽, which captures the idea of something that is both visually pleasing and delightful to the senses.
