About
The character "妙" is constructed from the components "女", meaning woman, and "少", which conveys notions of few, little, or young. This combination originally pointed to qualities of youthfulness, tenderness, and delicate beauty associated with the feminine, establishing its early meaning as exquisite or fine. Over centuries, its application broadened significantly from describing tangible loveliness to encapsulating abstract and refined excellence, as seen in terms for superb skill or ingenious artistry. Furthermore, within philosophical and religious contexts, particularly Daoism, it acquired a profound layer of meaning referring to the subtle, mysterious, and ineffable principles of the universe, as in the concept of the "profound mystery". The character's form has remained consistent in its traditional rendering, and its semantic range successfully integrates the concrete, the superlative, and the metaphysical.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这个主意真妙。
这个故事很奇妙。
她唱得美妙动听。
他的解释妙不可言。
这幅画的色彩搭配很妙。
她用巧妙的方法解决了问题。
这个设计妙在既实用又美观。
科学家提出了一个绝妙的假设来解释这种现象。