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美 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
美
měi
beautiful
HSK 4, ns, 9 strokes, radical 羊, rank #462, Medium
美
měi
the Americas
HSK 4, ns, 9 strokes, radical 羊, rank #462, Medium
美
měi
USA
HSK 4, ns, 9 strokes, radical 羊, rank #462, Medium
美
měi
very satisfactory
HSK 4, ns, 9 strokes, radical 羊, rank #462, Medium
美
měi
good
HSK 4, ns, 9 strokes, radical 羊, rank #462, Medium
美
měi
to be pleased with oneself
HSK 4, ns, 9 strokes, radical 羊, rank #462, Medium
美
měi
beautiful, pretty; pleasing
HSK 4, ns, 9 strokes, radical 羊, rank #462, Medium
美
měi
abbr. for 美洲[Měi zhōu]
HSK 4, ns, 9 strokes, radical 羊, rank #462, Medium
美
měi
abbr. for 美國
HSK 4, ns, 9 strokes, radical 羊, rank #462, Medium
美
měi
abbr. for 美洲[Mei3 zhou1]
HSK 4, unknown, 9 strokes, radical 羊, rank #462, Medium
美
měi
abbr. for 美國|美国[Mei3 guo2]
HSK 4, unknown, 9 strokes, radical 羊, rank #462, Medium
měi(mei3)mei T3
1beautiful
2the Americas
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March 24, 2026
美měi(mei3)
The character 美 (měi) primarily means 'beautiful' or 'pretty.' It is often used to describe pleasing aesthetics or satisfaction, and it also serves as an abbreviation for the Americas and the United States. In various contexts, it can connote a sense of self-satisfaction or self-pleasure.
Strokes9Radical羊Frequency#462DifficultyMedium
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, beauty is often associated with harmony and balance, reflecting traditional values in art and literature. The concept of beauty can also extend to character and morality, emphasizing inner beauty alongside physical appearance.
Memory tip
Imagine a beautiful painting (美) that makes you smile ('měi' sounds like 'may') every time you see it. The character itself resembles a combination of a sheep (羊) and a big mouth (大), suggesting that something beautiful can be worth talking about, or a 'sheep' could be seen as a beautiful, gentle creature.
Meanings of 美
měi(mei3)
1beautiful
2the Americas
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 美
美Simplified
9Strokes
羊Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#462Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L4ElementaryTOCFLL3HSKKL2BCT✓CEFRA2
Podcast: 美
Podcast: 美
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AI study notes for 美
Quick Contrast
美 (měi) vs 漂亮 (piàoliang) — use 美 for a broader aesthetic appeal or satisfaction, while 漂亮 is more specifically about physical appearance.
Usage Notes
Be cautious when using 美 in formal contexts, as it can sometimes imply vanity when used to describe oneself. It commonly collocates with words such as '丽' (lì, beautiful) and '好' (hǎo, good). Remember that the third tone (měi) can be easily confused with other tones; practice the tone in different contexts.
HSK Study Tips
美 is not explicitly listed in HSK levels but is relevant for learners focusing on everyday vocabulary. Students should practice using it in sentences describing beauty or satisfaction to reinforce their understanding. Associating it with related terms like 漂亮 (piàoliang, pretty) can also be beneficial.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 美 with 好 (hǎo), mistakenly using 美 to describe things that are simply good rather than beautiful. For example, saying '这个菜很美' (zhège cài hěn měi) is incorrect; it should be '这个菜很好' (zhège cài hěn hǎo) to mean 'This dish is very good.'
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 美
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Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
The character 美 (měi) primarily means 'beautiful' or 'pretty.' It is often used to describe pleasing aesthetics or satisfaction, and it also serves as an abbreviation for the Americas and the United States. In various contexts, it can connote a sense of self-satisfaction or self-pleasure.
When to use 美
Be cautious when using 美 in formal contexts, as it can sometimes imply vanity when used to describe oneself. It commonly collocates with words such as '丽' (lì, beautiful) and '好' (hǎo, good). Remember that the third tone (měi) can be easily confused with other tones; practice the tone in different contexts.
美 or something close to it
美 (měi) vs 漂亮 (piàoliang) — use 美 for a broader aesthetic appeal or satisfaction, while 漂亮 is more specifically about physical appearance.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 美 with 好 (hǎo), mistakenly using 美 to describe things that are simply good rather than beautiful. For example, saying '这个菜很美' (zhège cài hěn měi) is incorrect; it should be '这个菜很好' (zhège cài hěn hǎo) to mean 'This dish is very good.'
Write 美
美
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Practice writing 美 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 美
美 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 11 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
You shouldn't always have to kill yourself to do well.
8
他难道不是你见过的最美的事物么？
tā nándào bùshì nǐ jiànguò de zuì měi de shìwù má？
Isn't he just the most beautiful thing you ever saw?
9
桑塔格一直是那种兼具美貌与智慧的人中龙凤。
Sāng tǎ gé yìzhí shì nà zhǒng jiān jù měi mào yǔ zhìhuì de rén zhōng lóngfèng。
Sontag has always been that rarity, a glamorous intellectual.
10
有些器乐段落谱写得非常优美，尤其是竖琴和长笛的部分。
yǒuxiē qì lè duànluò pǔ xiě de fēicháng yōuměi， yóuqí shì shù qín hé cháng dí de bùfen。
Some of the instrumentation is exquisite, particularly for harp and flute.
11
我把1亿美元藏到了一个永远没人会找到的地方。
wǒ bǎ1 yì měiyuán cáng dào le yīgè yǒngyuǎn méi rén huì zhǎodào de dìfang。
I have $100m hidden away where no one will ever find it.
12
他那本带有精美插图的书见证了他对大学的热爱。
tā nà běn dàiyǒu jīngměi chātú de shū jiànzhèng le tā duì dàxué de rè’ài。
His beautifully illustrated book well attested his love of the university.
13
这家航空公司亏损达3,500万美元，而澳航出资帮助其摆脱了困境。
zhè jiā hángkōng gōngsī kuīsǔn dá3,500 wàn měiyuán， ér ào háng chūzī bāngzhù qí bǎituō le kùnjìng。
The airline had losses of $35m and was bailed out by Qantas.
14
6月份的出口额上升了1.5%，创下309.1亿美元的历史最高纪录。
6 yuèfèn de chūkǒu é shàngshēng le1.5%， chuàng xià309.1 yì měiyuán de lìshǐ zuì gāo jìlù。
Exports in June rose 5% to a record $91 billion.
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Cultural Notes for 美
💡Did you know?
The character 美 (Měi) is often associated with beauty and aesthetics in Chinese culture, reflecting a deep appreciation for art and nature. It is commonly used in words like 美丽 (měi lì), meaning 'beautiful'.
Word Family of 美
Compounds7
羹gēngsoup, broth
镁měimagnesium
渼měi
媄měi
嵄měi
躾měi
鎂měimagnesium
Words containing this character20
美国měiguóUSA美國
美měigood
美元měiyuánUS dollar
完美wánměiperfect
美丽měilìbeautiful美麗
美好měihǎofine
美女měinǚbeautiful woman
美妙měimiàobeautiful
美金měijīnUSD
美味měiwèidelicious
美容měiróngto beautify
美食měishífine food
美分měifēnone cent (United States coin)
美人měirénbeauty
赞美zànměito admire讚美
甜美tiánměisweet
美国人měiguórénAmerican美國人
欧美ōuměithe West歐美
优美yōuměigraceful優美
中美zhōngměiChina-USA
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 美
What does 羹 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 美
美 (měi) is a more general term for beauty and can also refer to the concept of beauty in a broader sense, including aesthetics. 漂亮 (piàoliang), on the other hand, specifically means 'pretty' or 'lovely' and is often used to describe people or things visually. Both can be used interchangeably in some contexts, but 美 has a wider application.
You can use 美 (měi) in a sentence to describe something as beautiful, for example: 这幅画很美 (Zhè fú huà hěn měi), meaning 'This painting is beautiful.' Additionally, you can use it in contexts referring to the USA, such as: 我住在美國 (Wǒ zhù zài Měi guó), meaning 'I live in the United States.'
美 (měi) primarily means 'beautiful' in Chinese, but it can also refer to the Americas and is an abbreviation for the United States (美国, Měi guó). The character is often used in contexts relating to beauty, aesthetics, or the Americas.
You can say '这件衣服很美' (zhè jiàn yīfu hěn měi), meaning 'This piece of clothing is very beautiful.'
No, 美 can also refer to beauty in concepts, experiences, or satisfaction with results.
Common synonyms include 漂亮 (piàoliang) for pretty and 精美 (jīngměi) for exquisite.
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