Xiaolin’s Ideal Type of Girl

While not all girls are similar to Xiaolin’s ideal type of girl, I do think this is a good essay example in describing a person’s appearance. It covers some of the basic words in describing someone’s stature and personality, while also adding some more complex “personalities”.

The special highlight is the idiom 騎驢找馬. The literal meaning of this idiom is “to look for a horse while riding a donkey”. It is usually used to describe people who look for better jobs while still working on current ones, but nowadays this idiom can also be used in relationships, too.

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说到理想型，我最理想的外貌，就是身形不瘦也不胖，个子不矮，也不用和我一样高的。我不要跟明星一样完美的人，也不要长得特别奇怪的。我觉得这样就行了。除了身材之外，还有一双很撼动人心的眼睛。就是那种，一瞬间被眼光击倒的感觉，让我没办法转移目光。

性格的方面，我觉得性格温柔，不会容易生气的人比较适合我。可是我又不太想要太温顺的会黏人的，因为我觉得我们还是要有自己的生活。这样就不会天天来烦我，而闲暇时候不会一直在吵我来陪。我真向往会找到体贴又善解人意的另一半，一起来过我们的有生之年。

可是，最重要的还是要看双方合不合得来。有些人，为了找到「比较好的对象」，就迁就目前的伴侣后就开始骑驴找马了。我们在这一生一世可能不会百分百实现理想 ；你目前的另一半，可能已经是你一辈子最好的礼物。因此，我们得要知足，互相体谅各人的优点和缺点。

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說到理想型，我最理想的外貌，就是身形不瘦也不胖，個子不矮，也不用和我一樣高的。我不要跟明星一樣完美的人，也不要長得特別奇怪的。我覺得這樣就行了。除了身材之外，還有一雙很撼動人心的眼睛。就是那種，一瞬間被眼光擊倒的感覺，讓我沒辦法轉移目光。

性格的方面，我覺得性格溫柔，不會容易生氣的人比較適合我。可是我又不太想要太溫順的會黏人的，因為我覺得我們還是要有自己的生活。這樣就不會天天來煩我，而閒暇時候不會一直在吵我來陪。我真嚮往會找到體貼又善解人意的另一半，一起來過我們的有生之年。

可是，最重要的還是要看雙方合不合得來。有些人，為了找到「比較好的對象」，就遷就目前的伴侶後就開始騎驢找馬了。我們在這一生一世可能不會百分百實現理想 ；你目前的另一半，可能已經是你一輩子最好的禮物。因此，我們得要知足，互相體諒各人的優點和缺點。

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English translation:

Speaking of the ideal type, my most ideal appearance is that the figure is neither thin nor fat. The body height is not short, and not as tall as me. I don’t want her to be as perfect as a star, and I also don’t want the one that looks particularly strange. I think that’s enough for me. In addition to the body stature, there is also a pair of very eye-catching eyes. That’s the kind of feeling that I was knocked down by her eyes, that I couldn’t divert my sight for a moment.

In terms of personality, I feel that people with gentle personality and who are not easy to get angry are more suitable for me. I don’t really want the one who is too docile and clingy, because I think we still have to have our own life. This way will not bother me all the time, and will not always ask me to accompany her during my spare time. I really want to find the other half that is considerate and understanding, to cross the rest of our lives together.

However, the most important thing is to see if the two sides are getting along well or not. There are some people, in order to find a “better one”, accommodating oneself to the current partner and started “looking for a horse while riding a donkey”. During our life, we may not be able to fulfill our ideal; your current half may be the best gift of your life. Therefore, we must be content with each other and understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

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Special notes:

• 外貌 – wàimào – appearance
• 身形 – shēn xíng – figure (esp a woman’s)
• 撼動 – hàndòng – shake
• 眼光 – yǎnguāng – eye
• 目光 – mùguāng – gaze, look
• 溫順 – wēnshùn – docile, saying yes to everything
• 黏人 – nián rén – stick to a person
• 閒暇 – xiánxiá – leisure
• 嚮往 – xiàngwǎng – yearn for, look forward to
• 體貼 – tǐtiē – thoughtful, considerate
• 善解人意 – shàn jiě rényì – [idiom] good at understanding others
• 有生之年 – yǒushēngzhīnián – [idiom] one’s remaining years
• 騎驢找馬 – qí lǘ zhǎo mǎ – [idiom] to look for a horse while riding a donkey
• 知足 – zhīzú – to content with one’s condition

Photo by Pim Chu