charming; fascinating; elegant; graceful
Describes a refined, captivating beauty or charm, often used for a person's demeanor, appearance, or artistic expression. Rare and literary; not an everyday word.
Everyone was captivated by her charming, elegant smile.
The painting has a graceful, delicate beauty.
Rare kanji spelling; the character 艶 suggests charm and allure.
Rare kanji spelling; the character 婉 suggests grace and gentleness.
The exact derivation is uncertain. The kanji 優 (gentle, superior) and 艶 (charm, allure) or 婉 (graceful) combine to suggest an elegant, captivating quality. The reading ゆうえん is likely a Sino-Japanese on'yomi compound.