Ways to say it
| Mandarin | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 俊 | jùn |
| 俊美 | jùnměi |
| 帥 / 帅 | shuài |
| 英俊 | yīngjùn |
These words are used to describe an attractive man. While the terms specifically refer to male attractiveness, modern usage of 帅 (shuài) has expanded in slang to mean 'cool' or 'awesome'. Colloquially, you can refer to a handsome man as 帅哥 (shuàigē). To describe someone who is extremely attractive, you can use the slang terms 帅炸了 or 帅到爆.
Which one should you use?
The different forms vary by level of formality and nuance. 帅 (shuài) is the most common and colloquial way to describe a man as handsome in daily conversation. In contrast, 英俊 (yīngjùn) is a more formal and literary term, often found in writing or more serious descriptions.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using these adjectives in a simple sentence such as 'He is handsome', it is standard to add an adverb of degree like 很 (hěn – very) before the adjective, forming 很帅 (hěn shuài).
How do you pronounce it?
jùn
Did you know?
- The character 帅 (shuài) originally meant 'to lead' or 'commander'. Its modern use to mean 'handsome' stems from the idea that a leader possesses a commanding and striking presence.
- While 帅 (shuài) is for men, women may use it to describe themselves or other women when they are presenting a 'cool' or 'tomboyish' aesthetic.
- When using extreme slang like 帅炸了 (shuài zhà le), you are saying the man is so handsome that he 'exploded'. It is a hyperbolic way to express being overwhelmed by someone's looks.
Examples in context
- 汤姆并不是玛丽说得那样英俊。Tom wasn't as handsome as Mary said he was.This sentence uses 俊 to show a comparison of attractiveness.Tatoeba #4757616 by ryanwoo, translation #4757567 by CK
- 你很帅气You are very handsome
- 他很帅气He is very handsome
- 她很帅气She is very handsome
- 他今天帅炸了He looks extremely handsome today
- 她帅到爆She is extremely handsome
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “handsome” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 俊, 帥, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
