细腻

• Pinyin: xì nì
• Hanzi breakdown: 细 = 纟+ 田 (silk thread + field — fine, slender); 腻 = 月 + 贰 (flesh/body + two/double — smooth, oily, satiated)

Meaning

Fine and smooth; delicate; subtle. Describes texture, craftsmanship, emotional sensitivity, or artistic detail.

Applied to skin texture (细腻的肌肤), writing style (笔触细腻), emotional perception (情感细腻), or craftsmanship. Implies quality achieved through careful attention to fine detail. Contrasts with 粗糙 (rough, coarse).

Examples

1. 这位画家的笔触极为细腻，人物的每一处神情都被刻画得栩栩如生。 This painter’s brushwork is extremely delicate, bringing every expression to life.
2. 她的皮肤保养得很好，至今依然光滑细腻。 She takes great care of her skin, and it’s still smooth and supple.
3. 这部小说对人物内心世界的描写十分细腻，令读者深受触动。 This novel portrays the characters’ inner worlds with great sensitivity, deeply moving readers.

Usage Guide

Context: arts, literature, beauty, craftsmanship, emotional intelligence

Tone: appreciative

Do Say

• 这位工笔画大师说，工笔画追求细腻，每一笔都要反复推敲，靠的是专注和匠心。(This master of gongbi painting said that gongbi painting pursues delicacy, and every stroke must be carefully considered, relying on focus and craftsmanship.)
• 评论家说，这部小说最动人的是作者对情感变化的细腻捕捉，靠动作、语言和沉默写出心理。(The critic said the most moving thing about this novel is the author's delicate capture of emotional changes, using actions, speech, and silence to reveal the inner mind.)

Don't Say

• 细腻 to mean meticulous or careful in a general sense — use 细心 for careful attention; 细腻 specifically refers to fineness of texture or subtlety of detail in craftsmanship, sensation, or emotional perception

Origin & History

细 (fine, slender, minute) + 腻 (smooth, greasy, refined) — fine and smooth to the touch or in detail

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal