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玲珑

玲瓏
línglóng
adjective #32,664

Meanings

  1. 1 exquisite; finely wrought; delicate
  2. 2 (of a person) petite and graceful; clever and nimble
  3. 3 (onomatopoeia) the tinkling of jade

Examples

这件玉雕做工玲珑。
Zhè jiàn yùdiāo zuògōng línglóng.
This jade carving is exquisitely worked.
她身材娇小玲珑。
Tā shēncái jiāoxiǎo línglóng.
She has a petite and graceful figure.
她是个八面玲珑的人。
Tā shì gè bāmiànlínglóng de rén.
She's a smooth operator (lit. 'exquisite on all eight sides').

Tips

memory
Both 玲 and 珑 carry the 王 (jade) radical — picture two pieces of polished jade clinking against each other. The original meaning was the chiming sound of jade ornaments; that 'fine, clear, delicate' association then transferred to anything finely made or to a graceful, clever person.
usage
Common collocations: 小巧玲珑 'small and exquisite' (objects), 娇小玲珑 'petite and graceful' (people), 玲珑剔透 'crystalline and exquisite' (artwork), 八面玲珑 'all-round smooth/sociable' (sometimes positive, sometimes implying slick or two-faced). The base 玲珑 carries an admiring tone; tone shifts to mildly negative only inside 八面玲珑 in certain contexts.

Stroke Order

玲 líng
珑 lóng