漂亮
piào liang
Pretty
漂亮 (piàoliang) is the most common and versatile way to say 'pretty' or 'beautiful' in Mandarin Chinese. It can describe people (especially women and girls) as well as objects, scenery, or even abstract concepts like a good performance.
When to use it
Neutral and widely used. For a more general 'good-looking' that applies to anything, use 好看 (hǎokàn). For a more formal or poetic sense of 'beauty,' especially for scenery or art, you might hear 美丽 (měilì). For men, use 帅 (shuài) for 'handsome.'
How to pronounce it
Sounds like “PYAO-lyang.” The first syllable is a high, flat tone; the second is usually said lightly (neutral tone).
Other ways to say it
- 好看hǎo kàngood-looking (general, for people/things)
- 美丽měi lìbeautiful (more formal/poetic, often for scenery)
- 帅shuàihandsome (for men)
Examples
她今天穿得真漂亮！
tā jīn tiān chuān dé zhēn piào liang ！
She's dressed so pretty today!
这个地方的风景很漂亮。
zhè ge dì fāng de fēng jǐng hěn piào liang 。
The scenery in this place is very beautiful.
你的新手机很漂亮。
nǐ de xīn shǒu jī hěn piào liang 。
Your new phone is very pretty.
Pro tip: While 漂亮 often means 'pretty' or 'beautiful,' 好看 (hǎokàn) is a more general term meaning 'good-looking' or 'nice to look at.' You can use 好看 for almost anything, whereas 漂亮 often implies a higher degree of aesthetic appeal, especially for people or things that are visually striking.
Related phrases
我爱你 · I love you爱 · Love我想你 · I miss you
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