华丽

• Pinyin: huá lì
• Hanzi breakdown: 华 = 艹 (plant) + 化 — originally flower or splendour, extended to mean China or magnificent; 丽 = pictographic — beautiful, elegant, two deer side by side

Meaning

Gorgeous; magnificent; resplendent; sumptuously beautiful. Describes something visually or artistically splendid and elaborate.

Often used for architecture, clothing, language (华丽的辞藻 means flowery rhetoric), and performances. Can sometimes imply showy or over-decorated rather than genuinely beautiful.

Examples

1. 皇宫内部装潢极为华丽，金碧辉煌的大厅令初次来访的外国使节无不目瞪口呆。 The palace interior was extravagantly decorated; its glittering hall left every first-time visiting foreign envoy speechless.
2. 这部歌剧的舞台布景华丽精致，服装造型也极尽奢华，视觉效果令整个观众席为之倾倒。 The opera’s stage sets were lavish and exquisitely made, and the costumes were the height of luxury as well—the visuals captivated the entire audience.
3. 他的演讲辞藻华丽，但内容空洞，缺乏实质性建议，令听众颇感失望。 His speech was full of ornate phrasing, but the content was hollow and offered no substantive suggestions, leaving the listeners quite disappointed.

Usage Guide

Context: architecture, performing arts, literature, fashion

Tone: admiring or critical depending on context

Do Say

• 这座十七世纪巴洛克宫殿内部十分华丽，金色浮雕和水晶吊灯映得大厅格外耀眼。(The interior of this seventeenth-century Baroque palace is very gorgeous, and the golden reliefs and crystal chandeliers make the hall especially dazzling.)
• 批评者认为这部小说语言过于华丽，叠加了大量辞藻却未能有效推进情节，反而稀释了故事本身的张力和感染力。(Critics argue that the language of this novel is excessively ornate — layer upon layer of flowery rhetoric fails to advance the plot effectively and instead dilutes the tension and emotional power of the story itself.)

Don't Say

• 华丽 when describing plain, minimalist beauty — 华丽 specifically implies elaborate, rich ornamentation; use 素雅 or 简洁 for restrained elegance

Origin & History

华 (splendid; China; flowers) + 丽 (beautiful; elegant) — splendidly beautiful

Cultural Context

Era: Classical to Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal