美人

• Pinyin: měi rén
• Hanzi breakdown: 美 = 羊 + 大 — beautiful; 人 = 亻 — person, human

Meaning

A beautiful person; a beauty; a gorgeous woman (traditionally).

Classically refers to a beautiful woman, often with poetic or historical connotations (四大美人 — the Four Great Beauties of ancient China). In modern usage, can apply to either gender in casual or literary contexts. Also appears in idioms and set phrases.

Examples

1. 古典诗词中的美人形象往往寄托着诗人对理想、自由或故国的深切思念。 In classical poetry, the image of a beauty often carries the poet’s deep longing for ideals, freedom, or the homeland of a bygone era.
2. 这部古装剧中的女主角容颜绝世，被网友戏称为银幕上难得一见的大美人。 In this historical drama, the female lead is stunningly beautiful, and netizens jokingly call her a rare great beauty on screen.
3. 传说中西施是中国古代四大美人之一，其倾城之貌曾令鱼沉落雁。 Legend has it that Xi Shi was one of the Four Great Beauties of ancient China; her breathtaking looks were said to make fish sink and birds fall from the sky.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, history, film, compliments

Tone: positive

Do Say

• 中国文学史上，美人不仅是审美的对象，更常被用来象征忠贞的臣子或被埋没的才华。(In the history of Chinese literature, the beauty is not merely an object of aesthetic appreciation but is often used as a symbol of loyal ministers or unrecognised talent.)
• 她一袭红裙登台，举手投足间自有一股从容优雅的气质，当真是名副其实的大美人。(She stepped onto the stage in a red dress, and her every gesture carried an air of effortless grace — a true beauty in every sense of the word.)

Don't Say

• 在正式场合用'美人'直接称呼陌生女性 — 在正式或陌生场合直接称人'美人'可能显得轻浮，应改用'女士'或姓名称呼 (Avoid directly addressing a female stranger as 美人 in formal or unfamiliar settings — it can come across as flippant; use 女士 or the person's name instead)

Origin & History

美 (beautiful) + 人 (person). Together meaning a beautiful person.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical to modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal