美丽 (Měilì) and 漂亮 (Piàoliang)

美丽 is slightly more formal than 漂亮. 美丽 is usually used in writing; 漂亮 is informal, used in both writing and speaking. For example, 美丽 is better for sentences like "Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess...", while 漂亮 is more appropriate for "Jane, you look so beautiful today!" So if you translate them into English, 美丽 should be "beautiful", while 漂亮 is more like "pretty", "good-looking", or "beautifully executed". 美丽 can be used to describe everything that is beautiful, including abstract things and concrete ones; 漂亮 is usually connected with concrete objects. 

• 西湖的春景十分美丽。
• 展览会里有一些美丽的油画。
  
• 王子爱上了一位美丽的少女。
• 这件外套很漂亮。
• 她不仅漂亮，而且善良。
• 干得漂亮(well done)
• 他说一口漂亮的英语(he speaks good English). 
• Note that in speaking, when you express that something is well done or somebody is really good at something, you can use 漂亮.

Please fill in the blanks by using 美丽 (Měilì) or 漂亮 (Piàoliang).

1. 他的足球踢得很________。
2. 水牛城是一个座________的城市
3. 这儿有一个风景________的公园。
4. 在月光下花园看上去很________。
5. 她有一个________的心灵。
6. 你的字真________。
7. 桂林是我去过的最________的地方。
8. 你的这条裙子真________。