秀外慧中 xiù wài huì zhōng Beautiful outside, wise inside

Explanation

形容女子美丽且聪明。

Describes a woman as both beautiful and intelligent.

Origin Story

话说江南小镇上，住着一位名叫翠儿的姑娘。她自幼聪慧，琴棋书画样样精通，且容貌姣好，气质优雅，可谓秀外慧中。镇上许多青年才俊都倾慕于她，但翠儿却一心向学，潜心研读诗书。一日，一位落魄书生来到小镇，他饱读诗书，却因家境贫寒，无人赏识。翠儿被他的才华所吸引，对他施以援手，并帮助他重新振作。最终，书生凭借自己的努力，金榜题名，二人结为连理，成就一段佳话。他们的爱情故事，也成为了小镇上流传至今的美谈，印证了秀外慧中不仅指容貌，更指才情和内涵。

huà shuō jiāng nán xiǎo zhèn shang, zhù zhe yī wèi míng jiào cuì ér de gū niang. tā zì yòu cōng huì, qín qí shū huà yàng yàng jīng tōng, qiě róng mào jiāo hǎo, qì zhì yōu yǎ, kě wèi xiù wài huì zhōng. zhèn shang xǔ duō qīng nián cái jùn dōu qīng mù yú tā, dàn cuì ér què yī xīn xiàng xué, qián xīn yán dú shī shū. yī rì, yī wèi luò pò shū shēng lái dào xiǎo zhèn, tā bǎo dú shī shū, què yīn jiā jìng pín hán, wú rén shǎng shí. cuì ér bèi tā de cái huá suǒ xī yǐn, duì tā shī yǐ yuán shǒu, bìng bāng zhù tā chóng xīn zhèn zuò. zuì zhōng, shū shēng píng jiè zì jǐ de nǔ lì, jīn bǎng tí míng, èr rén jié wéi liǎn lǐ, chéng jiù yī duàn jiā huà. tā men de ài qíng gù shì, yě chéng le xiǎo zhèn shang liú chuán zhì jīn de měi tán, yìn zhèng le xiù wài huì zhōng bù jǐn zhǐ róng mào, gèng zhǐ cái qíng hé nèi hán

In a small town in southern China, there lived a girl named Cui'er. From a young age, she was intelligent and proficient in music, painting, calligraphy, and all the arts. She was beautiful and elegant, truly both beautiful and intelligent. Many young men in the town admired her, but Cui'er dedicated herself to her studies and delved into the study of poetry and books. One day, a down-and-out scholar came to town. He was well-educated, but due to his poverty, he was unappreciated by anyone. Cui'er was drawn to his talent, helped him, and helped him recover his spirits. Eventually, the scholar passed the exam and was appointed to high office by the state, the two married and created a beautiful story. Their love story became a beautiful story passed down in the town, proving that "秀外慧中" refers not only to appearance, but also to talent and inner qualities.

Usage

用于形容女子美丽且聪慧。

yòng yú xíngróng nǚ zǐ měilì qiě cōnghuì

Used to describe a woman as both beautiful and intelligent.

Examples

• 她秀外慧中，气质优雅。

  tā xiù wài huì zhōng, qì zhì yōu yǎ.

  She is beautiful and intelligent.

• 这位女子秀外慧中，才貌双全。

  zhè wèi nǚ zǐ xiù wài huì zhōng, cái mào shuāng quán

  This woman is both beautiful and intelligent, talented and capable.

Related Idioms

• 才貌双全

• 知书达理

Opposite Idioms

• 愚笨

• 粗俗