Ways to say it
| Mandarin | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 漂亮 | piàoliang |
| 秀麗 / 秀丽 | xiùlì |
| 標緻 / 标致 | biāozhi |
| 好看 | hǎokàn |
漂亮 is a general term used to describe something pleasant or attractive. While it is frequently used for women and children, it is also used to describe inanimate objects such as clothes, flowers or even a well-executed action.
Which one should you use?
While 漂亮 is a standard term for people and objects, 好看 is a more colloquial and versatile way to say "good-looking" or "pretty." For more specialized or literary descriptions, 秀麗 is used to describe elegant and beautiful scenery or a woman's delicate features. Additionally, 美丽 is a formal term that can be used for both people and objects.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When using 漂亮 as an adjective in a simple declarative sentence, it is standard to precede it with the adverb 很 (hěn) even if you do not specifically intend to emphasize the meaning of "very."
How do you pronounce it?
piàoliang
Did you know?
- The term 标致 (biāozhì) is a linguistic curiosity because it was created through phono-semantic matching of the French car brand 'Peugeot'.
- In spoken Mandarin, if you call someone 'pretty' using 漂亮 without adding the adverb 很 (hěn) before it, you might actually sound like you are being sarcastic or critical.
- While 好看 usually means 'pretty' or 'good-looking', it is also the standard word used to describe a movie or book that is 'good' or enjoyable to watch and read.
Examples in context
- 瑪麗很漂亮。Mary is very pretty.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of 漂亮 to describe a person.Tatoeba #5708687 by xjjAstrus, translation #1030057 by CK
- 这面旗子很漂亮。This flag is very pretty.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of 漂亮 to describe an object.Tatoeba #442119 by GlossaMatik, translation #707432 by papabear
- 你的头发很漂亮。Your hair is pretty.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of 漂亮 to describe a body part.Tatoeba #1417546 by sadhen, translation #1130090 by cntrational
- 她是个很美丽的女孩She is a very pretty girl.
- 你今天打扮得很漂亮You look very pretty today.
- 这个公园的景色非常秀丽The scenery of this park is exceptionally beautiful.
- 这件衣服很漂亮This dress is very pretty.
- 他的画儿非常美丽His painting is extremely pretty.
- 他女朋友真的好看His girlfriend is really pretty.
- 44 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Haoran and Jiayi are walking together in a park.
- 浩然 Haoran佳怡，你今天很漂亮。jiā yí, nǐ jīn tiān hěn piào liang.Jiayi, you look very pretty today.
- 佳怡 Jiayi谢谢你，浩然。xiè xie nǐ, hào rán.Thank you, Haoran.
- 浩然 Haoran这件裙子很适合你。zhè jiàn qún zi hěn shì hé nǐ.This dress suits you very well.
- 佳怡 Jiayi你真会说话。nǐ zhēn huì shuō huà.You are such a sweet talker.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pretty” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 標緻, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
