slim waist; willowy figure
Describes a slender, graceful waist like a willow branch; often used in literary or poetic contexts to praise a woman's figure.
Her willowy waist is even more striking in a kimono.
waist of a willow tree
Original literal meaning; now rare and mostly encountered in classical or explanatory contexts.
Originally, '柳腰' referred to the narrowing of a willow tree's trunk.
Standard kanji form; the reading りゅうよう is rare and not used in modern Japanese.
Compound of 柳 (willow) and 腰 (waist), originally describing the shape of a willow trunk. The figurative sense of a slender human waist developed from this natural image.