"Měi jǐng" literally combines 美 (měi), meaning "beautiful" or "lovely," and 景 (jǐng), meaning "scenery," "view," or "landscape." Together, they form a compound noun meaning "beautiful scenery" — typically referring to natural or picturesque views such as mountains, lakes, gardens, or historic sites. It carries a poetic, appreciative tone and is commonly used in travel writing, photography, tourism promotion, and casual descriptions of visually striking places.

The word is uncountable and usually appears without measure words in general contexts (e.g., 欣赏美景 — 'enjoy beautiful scenery'). It often appears after verbs like 看 (kàn), 欣赏 (xīnshǎng), or 拍 (pāi — 'to photograph'), and may be modified by adjectives like 壮丽 (zhuànglì — 'magnificent') or 迷人 (mírén — 'fascinating'). While it can refer to urban vistas, it most frequently evokes serene, awe-inspiring natural landscapes.