Definition
笑靥 is a literary term for a woman's dimples when she smiles, or more broadly, a smiling face. It's distinct from the everyday word 酒窝 (jiǔwō, 'dimple'), as 笑靥 carries a poetic, refined tone and is typically used in classical poetry, lyric prose, or elevated descriptive writing. You won't hear it in conversation; it belongs to a formal, written register.
n.
(literary) dimples when smilinga smiling face
Examples
- ，笑靥。Tā wēi wēi yī xiào, shuāngjiá lù chū liǎng gè qiǎn qiǎn de xiào yè.She gave a gentle smile, revealing two shallow dimples on her cheeks.
- 笑靥，。Shī zhōng miáoxiě le shàonǚ rú huā bān de xiào yè, lìng rén xīndòng.The poem describes the girl's flower-like smiling face, which is enchanting.
- ，笑靥。Nà zhāng jiù zhàopiàn shàng, mǔqīn niánqīng shí de xiào yè yīrán qīngxī kějiàn.In that old photograph, the dimples on my mother's young face are still clearly visible.
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