📖 Meaning
Describing a woman whose movements and bearing are graceful and full of varied charm. It conveys a sense of elegant, delicate beauty in posture and carriage. The idiom is most often used to praise a woman's attractive figure and manner.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase traces back to the Zhuangzi (《庄子·逍遥游》), where it describes a transcendent being with skin like ice and snow, graceful as a young maiden. The Tang dynasty writer Jiang Fang later used the full form '绰约多姿' in his tale 'The Story of Huo Xiaoyu' (《霍小玉传》), depicting a woman in her forties who was still graceful and charming in conversation. Over time the expression became a standard literary compliment for feminine beauty.
💡 Example Usage
舞台上那位舞者绰约多姿，令观众为之倾倒。
The dancer on stage moved with such graceful elegance that the audience was spellbound.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 绰约多姿
- Pinyin: chuò yuē duō zī
- Literal Translation: graceful, elegant, many, postures
- Category: Quality
- Characters: 4