bīn彬refinedbīn彬refinedyǒu有havelǐ礼courtesy
Refined and courteous; urbane.
Literal meaning
refined (彬) — refined (彬) — have (有) — courtesy (礼)
Origin
A classical four-character phrase describing someone with good manners.
Examples
tā bīnbīn-yǒulǐ, shēn shòu dàjiā xǐ'ài.他彬彬有礼,深受大家喜爱。
He is refined and courteous, and is well-liked by everyone.
zhè wèi shēnshì bīnbīn-yǒulǐ.这位绅士彬彬有礼。
This gentleman is urbane.
Usage & nuances
Describes someone with excellent manners and social grace.
Learn idioms by speaking them
Idioms are most useful when they land in a real conversation. Practice them out loud in Kango — get instant feedback on tone and timing.
Download Kango on iOS