Word
見事
Meaning in Englishsplendid, excellent, admirable
Animated kanji stroke order
Word context
What it means
What does 見事 mean? It denotes something excellent or impressive, often indicating that something was done very well or is a striking sight. It is used to praise performances, results, or appearances, conveying admiration for quality, skill, or visual impact.
Main meanings
- Splendid or impressive quality or result that stands out
- A sight to behold, a remarkable scene
- Exclamatory usage 見事! to express admiration or approval
- Can function as a na-adjective modifying nouns or appearing in だ/な forms to describe people, performances, or objects
How to use it
Used to praise achievements, performances, or appearances; appropriate in both formal writing and everyday speech. Common with the だ/な-form (見事だ, 見事な演技) and with adverbial 見事に to describe how something is done (見事に成功する), as well as to describe a scene (見事な景色).
Variants and close terms
- 素晴らしい (subarashii) — synonym meaning wonderful
- 立派 (rippa) — synonym meaning splendid, impressive
- 華麗 (karei) — synonym meaning gorgeous, splendid
- 平凡 (heibon) — antonym meaning ordinary
Composition
- 見 see; to perceive or observe
- 事 matter, affair, or event
- When combined, they yield a figurative sense of something worthy of being seen, conveying admiration for quality, skill, or spectacle
Word class
adjective (na-adjective)