秀 (xiù) - elegant, beautiful, graceful & to blossom, to bear grain
秀 · xiù
elegant, beautiful, graceful;
to blossom, to bear grain;
outstanding, excellent
elegant, beautiful, gracefulto blossom, to bear grainoutstanding, excellent
Usage highlights
outstandingelegant and beautifulrefinedshow offtalent shownew and excellent
Usage & contexts
Examples
- She is a beautiful and elegant woman (秀丽的女子).
- The crops are growing well (禾苗秀穗).
- He is an outstanding talent (优秀的人才).
- This is an elegant handwriting (秀丽的字迹).
Collocations
- outstanding(优秀)
- elegant and beautiful(秀丽)
- refined(清秀)
- show off(秀一下)
- talent show(才艺秀)
- new and excellent(新秀)
Idioms
- Outstanding among one's fellows(秀出班行)
- Beautiful mountains and clear waters(山清水秀)
- Outstanding talent(才秀人微)
- Not showy but substantial(秀而不实)
Cultural background
FAQ- Originally referred to plants bearing grain, later extended to mean elegant and outstanding.
- Highly valued in Chinese culture as a quality describing both natural scenery and human talent.
- Commonly used in given names, especially for females, to convey elegance and intelligence.