diff --git a/internal/core/adt/feature.go b/internal/core/adt/feature.go
index 74926a6..6ee3b6a 100644
--- a/internal/core/adt/feature.go
+++ b/internal/core/adt/feature.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 
 	"cuelang.org/go/cue/ast"
 	"cuelang.org/go/cue/errors"
+	"cuelang.org/go/cue/literal"
 	"cuelang.org/go/cue/token"
 	"cuelang.org/go/internal"
 )
@@ -65,7 +66,7 @@
 		if ast.IsValidIdent(s) && !internal.IsDefOrHidden(s) {
 			return s
 		}
-		return strconv.Quote(s)
+		return literal.String.Quote(s)
 	default:
 		return index.IndexToString(int64(x))
 	}
diff --git a/internal/core/debug/compact.go b/internal/core/debug/compact.go
index cbd2dfb..16bb3bf 100644
--- a/internal/core/debug/compact.go
+++ b/internal/core/debug/compact.go
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
-	"strconv"
 
+	"cuelang.org/go/cue/literal"
 	"cuelang.org/go/internal/core/adt"
 )
 
@@ -147,13 +147,10 @@
 		fmt.Fprint(w, &x.X)
 
 	case *adt.String:
-		w.string(strconv.Quote(x.Str))
+		w.string(literal.String.Quote(x.Str))
 
 	case *adt.Bytes:
-		b := []byte(strconv.Quote(string(x.B)))
-		b[0] = '\''
-		b[len(b)-1] = '\''
-		w.string(string(b))
+		w.string(literal.Bytes.Quote(string(x.B)))
 
 	case *adt.Top:
 		w.string("_")
diff --git a/internal/core/debug/debug.go b/internal/core/debug/debug.go
index af3f413..a5d8e0b 100644
--- a/internal/core/debug/debug.go
+++ b/internal/core/debug/debug.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 	"strings"
 
 	"cuelang.org/go/cue/errors"
+	"cuelang.org/go/cue/literal"
 	"cuelang.org/go/internal"
 	"cuelang.org/go/internal/core/adt"
 	"golang.org/x/xerrors"
@@ -312,13 +313,10 @@
 		fmt.Fprint(w, &x.X)
 
 	case *adt.String:
-		w.string(strconv.Quote(x.Str))
+		w.string(literal.String.Quote(x.Str))
 
 	case *adt.Bytes:
-		b := []byte(strconv.Quote(string(x.B)))
-		b[0] = '\''
-		b[len(b)-1] = '\''
-		w.string(string(b))
+		w.string(literal.Bytes.Quote(string(x.B)))
 
 	case *adt.Top:
 		w.string("_")
diff --git a/internal/core/export/adt.go b/internal/core/export/adt.go
index d73b0eb..bff96e7 100644
--- a/internal/core/export/adt.go
+++ b/internal/core/export/adt.go
@@ -15,12 +15,14 @@
 package export
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"fmt"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 
 	"cuelang.org/go/cue/ast"
 	"cuelang.org/go/cue/ast/astutil"
+	"cuelang.org/go/cue/literal"
 	"cuelang.org/go/cue/token"
 	"cuelang.org/go/internal/core/adt"
 )
@@ -56,6 +58,7 @@
 		for _, d := range x.Decls {
 			s.Elts = append(s.Elts, e.decl(d))
 		}
+
 		return s
 
 	case *adt.FieldReference:
@@ -177,36 +180,43 @@
 
 	case *adt.Interpolation:
 		t := &ast.Interpolation{}
-		multiline := false
+		f := literal.String.WithGraphicOnly() // TODO: also support bytes
+		openQuote := `"`
+		closeQuote := `"`
+		indent := ""
 		// TODO: mark formatting in interpolation itself.
 		for i := 0; i < len(x.Parts); i += 2 {
 			str := x.Parts[i].(*adt.String).Str
 			if strings.IndexByte(str, '\n') >= 0 {
-				multiline = true
+				f = f.WithTabIndent(len(e.stack))
+				indent = strings.Repeat("\t", len(e.stack))
+				openQuote = `"""` + "\n" + indent
+				closeQuote = `"""`
 				break
 			}
 		}
-		quote := `"`
-		if multiline {
-			quote = `"""`
-		}
-		prefix := quote
+		prefix := openQuote
 		suffix := `\(`
 		for i, elem := range x.Parts {
 			if i%2 == 1 {
 				t.Elts = append(t.Elts, e.expr(elem))
 			} else {
+				// b := strings.Builder{}
 				buf := []byte(prefix)
-				if i == len(x.Parts)-1 {
-					suffix = quote
-				}
 				str := elem.(*adt.String).Str
-				if multiline {
-					buf = appendEscapeMulti(buf, str, '"')
+				buf = f.AppendEscaped(buf, str)
+				if i == len(x.Parts)-1 {
+					if len(closeQuote) > 1 {
+						buf = append(buf, '\n')
+						buf = append(buf, indent...)
+					}
+					buf = append(buf, closeQuote...)
 				} else {
-					buf = appendEscaped(buf, str, '"', true)
+					if bytes.HasSuffix(buf, []byte("\n")) {
+						buf = append(buf, indent...)
+					}
+					buf = append(buf, suffix...)
 				}
-				buf = append(buf, suffix...)
 				t.Elts = append(t.Elts, &ast.BasicLit{
 					Kind:  token.STRING,
 					Value: string(buf),
diff --git a/internal/core/export/label.go b/internal/core/export/label.go
index be73089..b04cb93 100644
--- a/internal/core/export/label.go
+++ b/internal/core/export/label.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 	"strconv"
 
 	"cuelang.org/go/cue/ast"
+	"cuelang.org/go/cue/literal"
 	"cuelang.org/go/cue/token"
 	"cuelang.org/go/internal/core/adt"
 )
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@
 	case adt.StringLabel:
 		s := e.ctx.IndexToString(int64(x))
 		if !ast.IsValidIdent(s) {
-			return ast.NewLit(token.STRING, strconv.Quote(s))
+			return ast.NewLit(token.STRING, literal.Label.Quote(s))
 		}
 		fallthrough
 
diff --git a/internal/core/export/quote.go b/internal/core/export/quote.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 05e95c5..0000000
--- a/internal/core/export/quote.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,122 +0,0 @@
-// Copyright 2020 CUE Authors
-//
-// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
-// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
-// You may obtain a copy of the License at
-//
-//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
-//
-// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
-// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
-// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
-// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
-// limitations under the License.
-
-package export
-
-import (
-	"strconv"
-	"strings"
-	"unicode/utf8"
-)
-
-// quote quotes the given string.
-func quote(str string, quote byte) string {
-	if strings.IndexByte(str, '\n') < 0 {
-		buf := []byte{quote}
-		buf = appendEscaped(buf, str, quote, true)
-		buf = append(buf, quote)
-		return string(buf)
-	}
-	buf := []byte{quote, quote, quote}
-	buf = append(buf, multiSep...)
-	buf = appendEscapeMulti(buf, str, quote)
-	buf = append(buf, quote, quote, quote)
-	return string(buf)
-}
-
-// TODO: consider the best indent strategy.
-const multiSep = "\n        "
-
-func appendEscapeMulti(buf []byte, str string, quote byte) []byte {
-	// TODO(perf)
-	a := strings.Split(str, "\n")
-	for _, s := range a {
-		buf = appendEscaped(buf, s, quote, true)
-		buf = append(buf, multiSep...)
-	}
-	return buf
-}
-
-const lowerhex = "0123456789abcdef"
-
-func appendEscaped(buf []byte, s string, quote byte, graphicOnly bool) []byte {
-	for width := 0; len(s) > 0; s = s[width:] {
-		r := rune(s[0])
-		width = 1
-		if r >= utf8.RuneSelf {
-			r, width = utf8.DecodeRuneInString(s)
-		}
-		if width == 1 && r == utf8.RuneError {
-			buf = append(buf, `\x`...)
-			buf = append(buf, lowerhex[s[0]>>4])
-			buf = append(buf, lowerhex[s[0]&0xF])
-			continue
-		}
-		buf = appendEscapedRune(buf, r, quote, graphicOnly)
-	}
-	return buf
-}
-
-func appendEscapedRune(buf []byte, r rune, quote byte, graphicOnly bool) []byte {
-	var runeTmp [utf8.UTFMax]byte
-	if r == rune(quote) || r == '\\' { // always backslashed
-		buf = append(buf, '\\')
-		buf = append(buf, byte(r))
-		return buf
-	}
-	// TODO(perf): IsGraphic calls IsPrint.
-	if strconv.IsPrint(r) || graphicOnly && strconv.IsGraphic(r) {
-		n := utf8.EncodeRune(runeTmp[:], r)
-		buf = append(buf, runeTmp[:n]...)
-		return buf
-	}
-	switch r {
-	case '\a':
-		buf = append(buf, `\a`...)
-	case '\b':
-		buf = append(buf, `\b`...)
-	case '\f':
-		buf = append(buf, `\f`...)
-	case '\n':
-		buf = append(buf, `\n`...)
-	case '\r':
-		buf = append(buf, `\r`...)
-	case '\t':
-		buf = append(buf, `\t`...)
-	case '\v':
-		buf = append(buf, `\v`...)
-	default:
-		switch {
-		case r < ' ':
-			// Invalid for strings, only bytes.
-			buf = append(buf, `\x`...)
-			buf = append(buf, lowerhex[byte(r)>>4])
-			buf = append(buf, lowerhex[byte(r)&0xF])
-		case r > utf8.MaxRune:
-			r = 0xFFFD
-			fallthrough
-		case r < 0x10000:
-			buf = append(buf, `\u`...)
-			for s := 12; s >= 0; s -= 4 {
-				buf = append(buf, lowerhex[r>>uint(s)&0xF])
-			}
-		default:
-			buf = append(buf, `\U`...)
-			for s := 28; s >= 0; s -= 4 {
-				buf = append(buf, lowerhex[r>>uint(s)&0xF])
-			}
-		}
-	}
-	return buf
-}
diff --git a/internal/core/export/testdata/adt.txtar b/internal/core/export/testdata/adt.txtar
index 47a323f..c407f8e 100644
--- a/internal/core/export/testdata/adt.txtar
+++ b/internal/core/export/testdata/adt.txtar
@@ -96,11 +96,11 @@
 	}
 }
 c1: mystrings.Contains("aa", "a")
-s1: """multi
-        
-        \(bar)
-        line
-        """
+s1: """
+		multi
+		\(bar)
+		line
+		"""
 l1: [3, ...int]
 l2: [...int]
 l3: []
diff --git a/internal/core/export/testdata/strings.txtar b/internal/core/export/testdata/strings.txtar
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..75a806f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/core/export/testdata/strings.txtar
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+-- in.cue --
+a: """
+    multi
+    line
+    """
+
+b: "message: \(a)!"
+
+c: d: a
+
+-- out/definition --
+a: """
+    multi
+    line
+    """
+b: "message: \(a)!"
+c: {
+	d: a
+}
+-- out/doc --
+[]
+[a]
+[b]
+[c]
+[c d]
+-- out/value --
+== Simplified
+{
+	a: """
+	multi
+	line
+	"""
+	b: """
+	message: multi
+	line!
+	"""
+	c: {
+		d: """
+		multi
+		line
+		"""
+	}
+}
+== Raw
+{
+	a: """
+	multi
+	line
+	"""
+	b: """
+	message: multi
+	line!
+	"""
+	c: {
+		d: """
+		multi
+		line
+		"""
+	}
+}
+== Final
+{
+	a: """
+	multi
+	line
+	"""
+	b: """
+	message: multi
+	line!
+	"""
+	c: {
+		d: """
+		multi
+		line
+		"""
+	}
+}
+== All
+{
+	a: """
+	multi
+	line
+	"""
+	b: """
+	message: multi
+	line!
+	"""
+	c: {
+		d: """
+		multi
+		line
+		"""
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/core/export/value.go b/internal/core/export/value.go
index 375c11e..4217425 100644
--- a/internal/core/export/value.go
+++ b/internal/core/export/value.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 
 	"cuelang.org/go/cue/ast"
 	"cuelang.org/go/cue/ast/astutil"
+	"cuelang.org/go/cue/literal"
 	"cuelang.org/go/cue/token"
 	"cuelang.org/go/internal/core/adt"
 )
@@ -233,9 +234,10 @@
 	if b := extractBasic(orig); b != nil {
 		return b
 	}
+	s := literal.String.WithOptionalTabIndent(len(e.stack)).Quote(n.Str)
 	return &ast.BasicLit{
 		Kind:  token.STRING,
-		Value: quote(n.Str, '"'),
+		Value: s,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -244,9 +246,10 @@
 	if b := extractBasic(orig); b != nil {
 		return b
 	}
+	s := literal.String.WithOptionalTabIndent(len(e.stack)).Quote(string(n.B))
 	return &ast.BasicLit{
 		Kind:  token.STRING,
-		Value: quote(string(n.B), '\''),
+		Value: s,
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/third_party/yaml/decode.go b/internal/third_party/yaml/decode.go
index dbafa23..a509c49 100644
--- a/internal/third_party/yaml/decode.go
+++ b/internal/third_party/yaml/decode.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 	"unicode"
 
 	"cuelang.org/go/cue/ast"
+	"cuelang.org/go/cue/literal"
 	"cuelang.org/go/cue/token"
 )
 
@@ -458,24 +459,21 @@
 		return &ast.BasicLit{
 			ValuePos: d.start(n),
 			Kind:     token.STRING,
-			Value:    strconv.Quote(n.value),
+			Value:    literal.String.Quote(n.value),
 		}
 
 	case yaml_STR_TAG:
 		return &ast.BasicLit{
 			ValuePos: d.start(n),
 			Kind:     token.STRING,
-			Value:    d.quoteString(n.value),
+			Value:    quoteString(n.value),
 		}
 
 	case yaml_BINARY_TAG:
-		buf := strconv.AppendQuote(nil, resolved.(string))
-		buf[0] = '\''
-		buf[len(buf)-1] = '\''
 		return &ast.BasicLit{
 			ValuePos: d.start(n),
 			Kind:     token.STRING,
-			Value:    string(buf),
+			Value:    literal.Bytes.Quote(resolved.(string)),
 		}
 
 	case yaml_BOOL_TAG:
@@ -562,7 +560,7 @@
 	return &ast.BasicLit{
 		ValuePos: d.start(n),
 		Kind:     token.STRING,
-		Value:    strconv.Quote(n.value),
+		Value:    literal.Label.Quote(n.value),
 	}
 }
 
@@ -587,7 +585,7 @@
 }
 
 // quoteString converts a string to a CUE multiline string if needed.
-func (d *decoder) quoteString(s string) string {
+func quoteString(s string) string {
 	lines := []string{}
 	last := 0
 	for i, c := range s {
@@ -620,7 +618,7 @@
 		return string(buf)
 	}
 quoted:
-	return strconv.Quote(s)
+	return literal.String.Quote(s)
 }
 
 func (d *decoder) sequence(n *node) ast.Expr {
diff --git a/internal/third_party/yaml/decode_test.go b/internal/third_party/yaml/decode_test.go
index b6323e5..9156cda 100644
--- a/internal/third_party/yaml/decode_test.go
+++ b/internal/third_party/yaml/decode_test.go
@@ -384,6 +384,9 @@
 		C
 		""",
 ]`,
+	}, {
+		`"\0"`,
+		`"\u0000"`,
 	},
 
 	// Explicit tags.