秀 xiù elegant
elegant; graceful
How to remember 秀: 禾 grain + 乃 then = elegant. The dancer walks through the grain fields in her long dress, and then the farmers stop and sigh because she looks so elegant.
Component breakdown
秀 = 禾 grain + 乃 then
- 禾 grain
- 乃 then
The dancer walks through the grain fields in her long dress, and then the farmers stop and sigh because she looks so elegant.
How it came to be
Grain with the ear heavy and bending over at the top. It is the crop in flower, the best it will ever look, just before it is cut. That is the whole word.
How it is used
- Bound; fine/elegant/excellent. Chiefly 优秀 (yōuxiù) outstanding: 成绩优秀 (chéngjì yōuxiù) excellent grades.
- 秀丽 (xiùlì) / 秀美 (xiùměi) describe delicate, graceful beauty, usually of scenery or features.
- Loanword usage: 秀 also transliterates English "show" (作秀 zuòxiù, put on a show / grandstand), but that's a separate borrowed sense.
Characters built with 秀
Words with 秀
Example sentences
- 大家的表现都很优秀。 Dàjiā de biǎoxiàn dōu hěn yōuxiù.Everyone's performance was excellent.