# 亭亭玉立

tíng tíng yù lì

Stand tall, slender, and graceful

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Stand gracefully upright like jade

**Register:** Appreciative · expressive

[Perspective](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/perspective)

## When to use it

Describe elegant upright plants or a graceful figure.

Appearance-focused language may not suit every compliment.

## Understanding the expression

The expression brings together upright posture, slender form, and the elegance associated with jade. It commonly describes flowers such as lotus blossoms and the graceful appearance of a young woman. Its literary quality makes it more pictorial than an ordinary statement about height. When applied to a person, it focuses on appearance rather than character or ability. For a workplace compliment, recognition of skill may be more appropriate than describing someone’s figure.

## Examples

荷花在水中亭亭玉立。

hé huā zài shuǐ zhōng tíng tíng yù lì 。

The lotus flowers stand tall and graceful in the water.

她亭亭玉立地站在台上。

### Traditional Chinese

她亭亭玉立地站在臺上。

tā tíng tíng yù lì dì zhàn zài tái shàng 。

She stood gracefully upright on the stage.

院里的白玉兰亭亭玉立。

### Traditional Chinese

院裡的白玉蘭亭亭玉立。

yuàn lǐ de bái yù lán tíng tíng yù lì 。

The magnolia in the courtyard stands elegantly upright.

照片里的姐姐亭亭玉立。

### Traditional Chinese

照片裡的姐姐亭亭玉立。

zhào piàn lǐ de jiě jie tíng tíng yù lì 。

My older sister looks tall and graceful in the photograph.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 6, 2026.

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E4%BA%AD%E4%BA%AD%E7%8E%89%E7%AB%8B)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=738&webMd=1&la=0)

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