Translation and Meaning of: 美 - bi

The Japanese word 「美」, read as "bi" in romaji, represents the concept of beauty. It is fundamental in Japanese culture and aesthetics, playing a central role in the appreciation of art, design, and nature. Beauty, or 「美」, is seen as a harmonious combination of simplicity, subtlety, and elegance, reflected in various forms such as ikebana (flower arrangement) and wabi-sabi, which values the beauty of imperfection.

Etymologically, the kanji 「美」 is composed of two main elements: 「羊」, which means sheep, and 「大」, which means big. In ancient times, sheep were considered precious animals, and their association with the size "big" suggested something of inestimable value. Thus, the composition of the elements suggests that beauty was perceived as something of great worth. This interpretation may still seem abstract, but it demonstrates the evolution of the concept of beauty associated with preciousness and cultural value in Japanese tradition.

The Japanese language also contains various variations and words derived from 「美」. For example, 「美しい」(utsukushii) is an adjective that means "beautiful" or "pretty," widely used to describe landscapes, people, and works of art. Another variation is 「美人」(bijin), which refers to a beautiful person, usually used to describe women. The concept of beauty encapsulated by 「美」 is not just visual; it is deeply integrated into the aesthetic and emotional experience, being a vital part of garden design, tea ceremonies, and even the presentation of meals in Japan.

Cultural Meaning of 「美」

• In Japan, beauty is often associated with ephemeral moments, such as the changing of seasons or the blossoming of cherry trees, encapsulating the perfect balance between permanence and transience.
• The term also reflects profound aesthetic values in the principles of respecting harmony and simplicity in the creation and appreciation of art.
• The idea of arigata-meiwaku, which means accepting an undue favor that causes problems but appreciating it for the beautiful gesture, reflects the intricate understanding and respect for beauty in social interactions.

Furthermore, 「美」 plays a central role in Zen philosophy, where true beauty is perceived through meditation and a life of simplicity. The expression is truly emblematic of how Japanese cultural values and traditions shape and define the perception of aesthetics. It encourages people to find beauty in everything around them, even in the simplest and most everyday things.

Vocabulary

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Synonyms and similar words

• 美しい (Utsukushii) - Pretty, cute
• 美麗 (Birei) - Extremely beautiful, elegant
• 美観 (Bikan) - Aesthetic appearance, visual beauty
• 美貌 (Bibō) - Beautiful appearance, physical beauty
• 美形 (Bikei) - Beautiful shape, beautiful form
• 美意識 (Biishiki) - Aesthetic consciousness, perception of beauty
• 美意識的 (Biishikiteki) - Regarding aesthetic consciousness
• 美的 (Biteki) - Aesthetic, related to beauty
• 美学的 (Bigakuteki) - Aesthetic in terms of the philosophy of beauty
• 美術的 (Bijutsuteki) - Regarding the arts, especially visual arts
• 美容的 (Biyōteki) - Regarding beauty and personal care
• 美食的 (Bishokuteki) - Aesthetic gastronomy, beautiful food
• 美徳的 (Bitokuteki) - Virtuoso, related to aesthetic virtues
• 美味的 (Bōiteki) - Delicious, tasty
• 美姿勢 (Bisise) - Beautiful posture, aesthetic posture
• 美姿 (Biji) - Beautiful form, attractive appearance
• 美姿容 (Bijiyō) - Beautiful appearance, external beauty
• 美姿形 (Bishikei) - Aesthetic form, beauty of form
• 美姿美 (Bijibi) - Triple beauty, beauty from all perspectives
• 美姿美形 (Bijibikei) - Beauty in form and appearance
• 美姿美貌 (Bijibibō) - Beauty and attractive appearance
• 美姿端麗 (Biji Tanrei) - Elegance in beauty
• 美姿端麗な (Biji Tanrein na) - To be elegantly beautiful
• 美姿端麗なる (Biji Tanrein naru) - To have an elegantly beautiful nature

美

Romaji: bi
Kana: び
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n1

Translation / Meaning: beauty

Meaning in English: beauty

Definition: Beauty: Word that refers to something beautiful or aesthetic.

Example Sentences - (美) bi

See below some example sentences:

建築は美しさと機能性の両方を備えた芸術です。

Kenchiku wa utsukushisa to kinōsei no ryōhō o sonaeta geijutsu desu

Architecture is an art that combines beauty and functionality.

Architecture is an art with beauty and functionality.

• 建築 - construction, building
• 美しさ - beauty
• と - I'm sorry, but I need a text or string to translate from Portuguese to English. Please provide the content you'd like me to work on.
• 機能性 - functionality
• の - of
• 両方 - both, the two
• を - direct object
• 備えた - equipped, endowed
• 芸術 - art
• です - is

弾力がある肌は美しいです。

Danryoku ga aru hada wa utsukushii desu

Skin with elasticity is beautiful.

The elastic skin is beautiful.

• 弾力がある - elastic, resilient
• 肌 - piel
• 美しい - hermoso
• です - is (polite form of the verb to be)

山は美しいです。

Yama wa utsukushii desu

A montanha é linda.

A montanha é linda.

• 山 (yama) - montanha
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 美しい (utsukushii) - Beautiful, lovely
• です (desu) - Verb to be/estar in the present

山岳は美しい自然の景色です。

Sangaku wa utsukushii shizen no keshiki desu

The mountains are beautiful natural landscapes.

The mountains are beautiful natural landscapes.

• 山岳 - montanhas
• は - Topic particle
• 美しい - beautiful
• 自然 - nature
• の - Possession particle
• 景色 - landscape
• です - Verb to be/estar in the present

岬から見る夕日は美しいです。

Misaki kara miru yuuhi wa utsukushii desu

O pôr do sol visto do cabo é lindo.

O pôr do sol visto da capa é lindo.

• 岬 (misaki) - península
• から (kara) - from, starting at
• 見る (miru) - ver
• 夕日 (yuuhi) - Sunset
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 美しい (utsukushii) - pretty, beautiful
• です (desu) - Verb "to be" in the present tense

宴会には美味しい料理と楽しい会話が欠かせない。

Enkai ni wa oishii ryouri to tanoshii kaiwa ga kakasenai

At a banquet

Delicious food and fun conversation are must-haves for banquets.

• 宴会 (えんかい) - banquete/festa
• には - particle that indicates the target or objective of the action
• 美味しい (おいしい) - delicious
• 料理 (りょうり) - culinária/comida
• と - particle indicating the connection between two things
• 楽しい (たのしい) - fun
• 会話 (かいわ) - conversation
• が - particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 欠かせない (かかせない) - indispensável/necessário

嬢は美しいです。

Jou wa utsukushii desu

A jovem é bonita.

Miss é linda.

• 嬢 (jo) - significa "jovem mulher" ou "moça"
• は (wa) - partícula de tópico, indica que "jo" é o tema da frase
• 美しい (utsukushii) - adjetivo que significa "bonita" ou "belíssima"
• です (desu) - verbo "ser" no presente, indica que a frase está no tempo presente e é uma afirmação educada

宝石は美しいです。

Hōseki wa utsukushii desu

The jewelry is beautiful.

The jewelry is beautiful.

• 宝石 (hōseki) - It means "precious stone" or "jewel".
• は (wa) - topic particle, indicates that the subject of the sentence is "gemstone"
• 美しい (utsukushii) - adjective meaning "beautiful" or "beautiful"
• です (desu) - verb to be in the polite form

夫人はとても美しいです。

Fujin wa totemo utsukushii desu

The wife is very beautiful.

Mrs. It's very beautiful.

• 夫人 - means "wife" in Japanese.
• は - topic particle in Japanese, used to indicate the subject of the sentence.
• とても - adverb in Japanese that means "very".
• 美しい - adjective in Japanese that means "pretty" or "beautiful".
• です - The verb "to be" in Japanese, used to indicate the existence or characteristic of something.

女の人はとても美しいです。

Onna no hito wa totemo utsukushii desu

As mulheres são muito bonitas.

A mulher é muito bonita.

• 女の人 - significa "mulher" em japonês.
• は - é uma partícula gramatical que indica o tópico da frase, neste caso, "mulher".
• とても - é um advérbio que significa "muito".
• 美しい - é um adjetivo que significa "bonita" ou "belo".
• です - é uma partícula gramatical que indica a formalidade da frase e pode ser traduzida como "é".