<p>there's an earlier usage of "完美" in 唐 dynasty. in 漢文大藏經﹒毗尼作持續釋﹒卷五:</p>

<p>釋　若犯妄語。譬如大石破為二分終不可還合者。謂石大　<strong>完美</strong>　。四覩奇觀。比丘戒淨。人天欽仰。若犯妄語波羅夷法。不得還成比丘梵行。布薩羯磨不共眾僧。如石兩分。破壞本質。失眾敬瞻。棄置不盻故。</p>

<p><a href="http://tripitaka.cbeta.org/mobile/index.php?index=X41n0730_005" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://tripitaka.cbeta.org/mobile/index.php?index=X41n0730_005</a></p>

<p>so, i would suggest the etymology of "完美" is derived from "完整" + "美好"</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/Vn0vz.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Vn0vz.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-05T22:21:09.357Z
Sorry if this is obvious from your excerpt, but how do you know that the 完美 comes from "完整" + "美好"?
Hanry Hu
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-06T01:26:01.340Z
the metaphor of 犯妄語 is 大石破為二分 --> a big rock is broken into two halves. so 守戒 (not 犯妄語) is a whole, complete big rock. that, "完整" matched. next, "美好" is the most common term suitable for describing rock. anyway, it's just a suggestion for explaining 完美 in this buddhism text. have fun :)
水巷孑蠻
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-05T06:06:15.300Z
2016-09-05T06:06:15.300Z
水巷孑蠻
<p><strong>完</strong>(adverbial - <strong>entirely / wholly</strong>) + <strong>美</strong>(adjective - <strong>beautiful / excellent</strong>)</p>

<p><strong>完美</strong> is a compound word for "perfect, perfectly, perfection" </p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>完</strong> <a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/880/" rel="nofollow">http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/880/</a></p>
  
  <p>|jyun4|  jyutping</p>
  
  <p>|wan2 |  pinyin</p>
  
  <p>[1] [v] complete; finish; bring to a conclusion </p>
  
  <p>[2] <strong>whole</strong> </p>
  
  <p>[3] [v] run out; use up </p>
  
  <p>[4] a Chinese family name</p>
  
  <p><strong>美</strong> <a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/257/" rel="nofollow">http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/257/</a></p>
  
  <p>|mei5|  jyutping</p>
  
  <p>|mei3|   pinyin</p>
  
  <p>[1] beautiful; pretty; pleasing; fine; fair </p>
  
  <p>[2] good; <strong>excellent</strong>; exquisite; nice </p>
  
  <p>[3] be pleased with oneself </p>
  
  <p>[4] [v] praise</p>
  
  <p><strong>完美</strong> <a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/9672/" rel="nofollow">http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/9672/</a></p>
  
  <p>|jyun4 mei5|   jyutping</p>
  
  <p>|wan2 mei3|   pinyin</p>
  
  <p><strong>perfect</strong>, perfection, perfectly</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-31T23:24:20.780Z
2016-08-31T23:24:20.780Z
Tang Ho
<p>宋 司马光 《太子太保庞公墓志铭》：“至於庐舍饮食，无不尽心为之驱处，使皆完美”。这是我索到的“完美”一词最早的出处。完在古代汉语可作形容词，意思是完整的，完好的，如完璧归赵。在司马光的文章中“完美”一词应是完备美好之意。至于完美一词什么时候变成现代汉语中“完美”(perfect)的意思，这个我就不清楚了。</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-05T04:57:21.287Z
2016-09-05T05:04:30.577Z
2016-09-05T05:04:30.577Z
陈天硕
<p>I suspect it comes from "又做完了，又做得美丽," since that would make some sense. Is it something along these lines?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-31T23:05:22.367Z
it seems simply to be a matter of adverb 完 qualifying adjective 美, cf. 完好，完满，完善、完整, of course 完
can modify adverbs (e.g. 完全）or verbs also （e。g。完毕）
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-02T09:15:35.903Z
完 means `to complete`, `sound and safe`, `to be ready`, `a reunion`
ElpieKay
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-08T09:29:41.360Z
I don't think 完 here means "finish, end", it should be the same meaning as in "完璧归赵", it's "complete, whole".
thinwa
<etymology>
Where does the word 完美 come from?
# Where does the word 完美 come from?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-08-31)

I suspect it comes from "又做完了，又做得美丽," since that would make some sense. Is it something along these lines?

**Tags:** etymology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: it seems simply to be a matter of adverb 完 qualifying adjective 美, cf. 完好，完满，完善、完整, of course 完 can modify adverbs (e.g. 完全）or verbs also （e。g。完毕）  
> **username_2**: 完 means `to complete`, `sound and safe`, `to be ready`, `a reunion`  
> **username_3**: I don't think 完 here means "finish, end", it should be the same meaning as in "完璧归赵", it's "complete, whole".  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2016-09-05. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

there's an earlier usage of "完美" in 唐 dynasty. in 漢文大藏經﹒毗尼作持續釋﹒卷五:

釋　若犯妄語。譬如大石破為二分終不可還合者。謂石大　**完美**　。四覩奇觀。比丘戒淨。人天欽仰。若犯妄語波羅夷法。不得還成比丘梵行。布薩羯磨不共眾僧。如石兩分。破壞本質。失眾敬瞻。棄置不盻故。

<http://tripitaka.cbeta.org/mobile/index.php?index=X41n0730_005>

so, i would suggest the etymology of "完美" is derived from "完整" + "美好"

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/Vn0vz.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/Vn0vz.png)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Sorry if this is obvious from your excerpt, but how do you know that the 完美 comes from "完整" + "美好"?  
> **username_4**: the metaphor of 犯妄語 is 大石破為二分 --> a big rock is broken into two halves. so 守戒 (not 犯妄語) is a whole, complete big rock. that, "完整" matched. next, "美好" is the most common term suitable for describing rock. anyway, it's just a suggestion for explaining 完美 in this buddhism text. have fun :)  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2016-08-31. Score: 0

**完**(adverbial - **entirely / wholly**) + **美**(adjective - **beautiful / excellent**)

**完美** is a compound word for "perfect, perfectly, perfection"

> **完** <http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/880/>
>
> |jyun4| jyutping
>
> |wan2 | pinyin
>
> [1] [v] complete; finish; bring to a conclusion
>
> [2] **whole**
>
> [3] [v] run out; use up
>
> [4] a Chinese family name
>
> **美** <http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/257/>
>
> |mei5| jyutping
>
> |mei3| pinyin
>
> [1] beautiful; pretty; pleasing; fine; fair
>
> [2] good; **excellent**; exquisite; nice
>
> [3] be pleased with oneself
>
> [4] [v] praise
>
> **完美** <http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/9672/>
>
> |jyun4 mei5| jyutping
>
> |wan2 mei3| pinyin
>
> **perfect**, perfection, perfectly


---

### Answer by username_6 on 2016-09-05. Score: 0

宋 司马光 《太子太保庞公墓志铭》：“至於庐舍饮食，无不尽心为之驱处，使皆完美”。这是我索到的“完美”一词最早的出处。完在古代汉语可作形容词，意思是完整的，完好的，如完璧归赵。在司马光的文章中“完美”一词应是完备美好之意。至于完美一词什么时候变成现代汉语中“完美”(perfect)的意思，这个我就不清楚了。


---

