Ways to say it
| Mongolian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| үзэсгэлэнтэй | üzesgelentej | Cyrillic | |
| сайхан | sajxan | /ˈsɛːxaŋ/ | Cyrillic |
| гуа | gua | Cyrillic |
To describe something as beautiful, you can choose different words based on what you are describing. Use үзэсгэлэнтэй for aesthetic beauty, such as a beautiful landscape or person. Use сайхан when describing abstract concepts like life or pleasant conditions like the weather.
What does it mean word for word?
The word үзэсгэлэнтэй is formed by adding the suffix –тэй (meaning 'with') to the noun үзэсгэлэн (meaning 'beauty'), literally meaning 'with beauty'.
Which one should you use?
While үзэсгэлэнтэй is specifically for aesthetic beauty, сайхан is a more versatile word that can mean 'beautiful', 'wonderful' or 'good'. It is frequently used for weather, food or experiences.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
үзэсгэлэнтэй is used for formal or profound descriptions. The form гуа is a more colloquial or informal way to describe someone or something as beautiful or pretty.
How do you pronounce it?
üzesgelentej
Did you know?
- A common Mongolian greeting involves asking if something is сайхан, such as whether the morning or the sleep was 'beautiful' or 'good'.
- While үзэсгэлэнтэй describes beauty, the root үзэсгэлэн relates to the act of seeing and the visual impact of an object on the observer.
- The word гуа is often used in the names of traditional Mongolian ornaments and jewelry to denote that they are pretty or delicate.
Examples in context
- Энэ бол үзэсгэлэнтэй орон.It's a beautiful country.This sentence is useful for describing a country using the form үзэсгэлэнтэй.Tatoeba #9784204 by Alkrasnov, translation #37758 by CK
- Амьдрал бол үнэхээр сайханLife is beautiful.This sentence is useful for describing life using the form сайхан.Tatoeba #9826534 by Alkrasnov, translation #1829 by CK
- Цаг агаар үнэхээр сайхан байна.The weather is beautiful.This sentence is useful for describing the weather using the form сайхан.Tatoeba #9758031 by Alkrasnov, translation #871770 by CM
- Гоё дуу!Beautiful song!
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is visiting a museum and looking at a painting.
- Оюункая OyunkayaЭнэ зураг үнэхээр үзэсгэлэнтэй юм аа.Ene zurag üneheer üzesgelentei yum aa.This painting is truly beautiful.
- Ганбаатар GanbaatarТийм ээ, өнгө нь маш гоё байна.Tiim ee, öngö ni mash goyo baina.Yes, the colors are very nice.
- Оюункая OyunkayaЧи миний бодлыг зөв хэллээ, Ганбаатар.Chi minii bodlyg zöv khellee, Ganbaatar.You said it right, Ganbaatar.
- Ганбаатар GanbaatarОюункая, чи бас үзэсгэлэнтэй харагдаж байна.Oyunkaya, chi bas üzesgelentei kharagdaj baina.Oyunkaya, you look beautiful too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “beautiful” translations and entries сайхан, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
