[[Characters]] #Characters \ #Natural-World \ #Plants # 秀 xiù elegance; beauty ## Components [[禾 (hé)]] [[禾 hé]] ## Meaning The character "秀" (xiù) primarily refers to elegance, grace, or beauty in modern usage. Originally depicting the image of rice grains sprouting and drooping gracefully, it symbolizes a bountiful harvest. Metaphorically, "秀" also represents the beauty of a person's appearance, posture, or natural scenery. It is commonly used to describe someone or something as refined, graceful, or aesthetically pleasing. ## History The character "秀" (xiù) represents the image of rice grains sprouting and drooping gracefully, symbolizing a bountiful harvest. It's a compound ideograph combining the radical "禾" (hé), resembling a mature crop, and "乃" (nǎi), representing a woman's breast during pregnancy, indicating growth. Since grains typically sprout and flower during harvest, "秀" also metaphorically refers to the beauty of a person's appearance, posture, or scenic landscapes, such as a graceful woman or picturesque mountains. ## Evolution ### Oracular Script ![[秀 xiù - ora.svg]] ### Bronze Script ? ### Seal Script ![[秀 xiù - sello.svg]] ### Clerical Script ![[秀 xiù - cle.svg]] ### Regular Script ![[秀 xiù - reg.svg]]