Amazing Chinese Characters (295) Pretty or beautiful - 丽（麗）

The shell bone script of character Pretty or Beautiful is

The bottom is Deer (Post 50)

The top is deer horn antlers.

The character is a picture of deer with big antlers.

Ancient Chinese thought that the antlers are pretty, beautiful and gorgeous. The character emphasizes the beauty of antlers

The bronze script of character is

It is similar to the shell bone script.

The big seal script of the character is

Similar to bronze script on the bottom, but the top antlers which are disconnected on the side and top. 

The small seal script of the character is

The top 丽 are similar to big seal script, but the top antlers disconnected to the head completely, which lost the pictography.

The clerical script of the character is

The top is the antlers (even though not look like), the bottom is a deer.

The traditional song typeface of the character is

麗

The simplified song typeface of the character is

丽

which is just antlers, which is most beautiful part on deer.

Its Pinyin is Li4.

I need to point out that  丽 is synonym of 美 - Beautiful (Post 240).

The shell bone script of  美 is

which is a sheep.

They are almost exchangeable, the difference is very subtle. Probably, 丽 is focus on the appearance a little bit more than 美, which is more focus on the combination of internal and appearance together. Many times people say 美丽 - put the two together to express Beautiful or Pretty.