美
beauty, beautiful
Readings
On'yomi
- ビ
- ミ
Kun'yomi
- うつく.しい
Nanori
- はる
- よし
- よしみ
- り
Meaning
美 centers on the quality of being beautiful: something that is pleasing to the senses or aesthetically attractive.
Most common words using 美
24 of 408- 美しいうつくしいN4
beautiful; pretty; lovely; sweet; pure (heart, friendship, etc.)
- 美味しいおいしいN5
good(-tasting); nice; delicious; tasty
- 美びN1
beauty
- 美人びじんN3
beautiful woman; (a) beauty; belle; good-looker
- 美容びようN2
beauty; good figure; (beautiful) appearance; (beautiful) features
- 美女びじょN3
beautiful woman
- 美術びじゅつN3
art; fine arts
- 美術館びじゅつかんN5
art museum; art gallery
- 褒美ほうびN1
reward; prize
- 美貌びぼう
beautiful face; good looks; beauty
- 美学びがく
esthetics; aesthetics
- 賛美さんびN1
praise; glorification; extolment
- 美化びかN1
beautification; glorification
- 優美ゆうびN1
grace; refinement; elegance; daintiness
- 美意識びいしき
sense of beauty; aesthetic sense
- 甘美かんび
sweet (taste); luscious
- 美点びてん
virtue; charm; merit; good point
- 華美かびN1
splendor; splendour; gorgeousness; pomp; magnificence
- 美辞麗句びじれいく
flowery words; rhetorical flourishes
- 美術展びじゅつてん
art exhibition
- 美容師びようしN3
beautician; cosmetician; hairdresser; hair stylist
- 美容院びよういんN4
beauty parlour; beauty parlor; beauty salon; hairdressing salon
- ご褒美ごほうび
reward; prize
- 美白びはく
beautifully white (esp. of skin)
Study
Etymology
美 combines 羊 (sheep) and 大 (big), historically suggesting a large, well-fed sheep as a symbol of beauty or desirability.
Meaning mnemonic
A big 大 sheep 羊 is considered beautiful: its size and health make it a pleasing sight.
Reading mnemonic
For ビ, imagine a beautiful bee buzzing around a big sheep: bee -> ビ, and the bee is drawn to the sheep's beauty.