迷人(mí rén) - charming, enchanting, captivating in Mandarin

迷人 (mí rén) describes anything that holds you: a view, a voice, a smile, the old quarter of a city. It behaves as a normal adjective, taking 很 in front and 的 before a noun, and it sits a notch above 好看 in warmth because it is about pull rather than looks.

The 迷 inside it is the same 迷 as in 迷路 (to lose your way) and 球迷 (a football fan). The thread running through all three is being so absorbed in something that you lose your bearings, which is exactly what a charming thing does to you.

The trap is using it as a straight compliment on someone's appearance. Telling a stranger 你很迷人 lands as a chat up line, not as politeness. For looks, use 漂亮 or 帅, and save 迷人 for a quality, a place or a performance.