美丽 (měi lì) is a common two-character adjective meaning 'beautiful' or 'lovely', used to describe people, places, things, or natural phenomena that evoke admiration through visual appeal, grace, or harmony. The first character 美 (měi) means 'beauty' or 'goodness' and often appears in words related to aesthetics; the second character 丽 (lì) means 'elegant', 'splendid', or 'graceful', adding refinement and intensity to the meaning. Together, they form a standard, slightly formal but widely used term for beauty — more literary and polished than simpler alternatives like 好看 (hǎo kàn).

This word frequently appears in descriptive writing, poetry, travel narratives, and compliments — especially when praising scenery, animals, or people’s appearance or demeanor. It is commonly used attributively before nouns (e.g., 美丽的花园) and can also follow 是 or 很 in predicative position (e.g., 这只鸟很美丽). While it carries positive connotations, it’s generally neutral in register — appropriate in both spoken and written contexts, though less common in very casual speech among young people.