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窈窕
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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Chinese
Etymology
First syllable 窈 (OC *qiːwʔ, “deep, dim”) is probably cognate to 幽 (OC *qɯw, “dark”); second syllable 窕 (OC *l'eːwʔ, “to bore, to perforate”) is probably related to 竅 (OC *kʰleːwɢs, “hole”) (Schuessler, 2007)
Pronunciation
- Mandarin
- Cantonese (Jyutping): miu5 tiu5 / jiu2 tiu5
- Southern Min
- Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)+
- Hanyu Pinyin: yǎotiǎo [Phonetic: yáotiǎo]
- Zhuyin: ㄧㄠˇ ㄊㄧㄠˇ
- Tongyong Pinyin: yǎotiǎo
- Wade–Giles: yao3-tʻiao3
- Yale: yǎu-tyǎu
- Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yeauteau
- Palladius: яотяо (jaotjao)
- Sinological IPA (key): /jɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ tʰi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
- (Standard Chinese)+
- Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
- Jyutping: miu5 tiu5 / jiu2 tiu5
- Yale: míuh tíuh / yíu tíuh
- Cantonese Pinyin: miu5 tiu5 / jiu2 tiu5
- Guangdong Romanization: miu5 tiu5 / yiu2 tiu5
- Sinological IPA (key): /miːu̯¹³ tʰiːu̯¹³/, /jiːu̯³⁵ tʰiːu̯¹³/
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
Note:
- miu5 tiu5 - vernacular;
- jiu2 tiu5 - literary.
- Southern Min
- Middle Chinese: 'ewX dewX
- Old Chinese
- (Baxter–Sagart): /*ʔˤ[e]wʔ lˤ[e]wʔ/
- (Zhengzhang): /*qiːwʔ l'eːwʔ/
Adjective
窈窕
- (literary, of a woman) quiet and elegant; graceful and fair; gentle and beautiful
- 窈窕淑女,君子好逑。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]
- From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11th – 7th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
- Yǎotiǎo shūnǚ, jūnzǐ hǎoqiú. [Pinyin]
- The modest, retiring, virtuous, young lady:
For our prince a good mate she.
- (literary, of a woman) seductive; flirtatious
- (literary) deep; secluded; profound
- 或命巾車,或棹孤舟。既窈窕以尋壑,亦崎嶇而經丘。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
- From: Tao Yuanming, 《歸去來辭》 "Verses on Returning"
- Huò mìng jīnchē, huò zhào gūzhōu. Jì yǎotiǎo yǐ xún hè, yì qíqū ér jīng qiū. [Pinyin]
- I either called covered wagons, or rowed lonely boats; already following gullies deep, then crossing hills rough.
或命巾车,或棹孤舟。既窈窕以寻壑,亦崎岖而经丘。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]
Derived terms
- 窈窕淑女 (yǎotiǎoshūnǚ)
Descendants
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