笑容可掬

xiàoróng-kějū

idiom #51,287

Meanings

HSK 5

服务员笑容可掬地迎接客人。

Fúwùyuán xiàoróngkějū de yíngjiē kèrén.

The server greeted guests with a beaming smile.

HSK 5

她笑容可掬，让人一见就觉得亲切。

Tā xiàoróngkějū, ràng rén yí jiàn jiù juéde qīnqiè.

Her warm smile made you feel at ease the moment you met her.

memory

掬 means to cup in both hands - the smile is so full you could scoop it up. A literal mental picture makes this one stick.

history

Made famous by 《三国演义》 ch.95: Zhuge Liang sits atop the empty city gate 笑容可掬, playing qin, fooling Sima Yi into retreat - the Empty City Stratagem.

笑 xiào

容 róng

可 kě

掬 jū