梨涡

梨渦

líwō

noun

Measure Word

一对梨涡 duì

Meanings

1 dimples (especially small dimples on a woman's cheeks)
2 "pear-shaped" cheek dimples

Characters

pear (shape of the cheek)

whirlpool, small depression

Examples

她笑起来有两个浅浅的梨涡。

Tā xiào qǐlái yǒu liǎng ge qiǎn qiǎn de líwō.

She has two shallow dimples when she smiles.

他被她的梨涡迷住了。

Tā bèi tā de líwō mízhù le.

He was charmed by her dimples.

Tips

history

From a poem by Song-dynasty writer Luo Dajing 罗大经 in 《鹤林玉露》: 君恩许归此一醉，傍有梨颊生微涡, describing a smile where a small whirlpool (涡) appears near the pear-shaped cheek (梨颊). A literary or flattering word.

usage

More poetic than the everyday synonym 酒窝 (jiǔwō), which just means dimple for anyone.

Stroke Order

梨 lí

涡 wō