脆
cuì
The English word 'crunchy' is translated into Chinese as 脆 (cuì).
脆 is used to describe the texture of food that is crunchy or crispy. It can also be used to describe a sound that is crisp or clear. While it often describes a pleasant crunchiness in food, it can also be used negatively to describe something that is brittle or breaks too easily.
Meaning: likely to crunch (adj)
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is cuì.
Did you know?
- In modern slang, someone who is 脆 can be described as 'fragile' in an emotional sense, similar to the English internet term 'glass cannon'.
- The character 脆 can be used to describe a 'crisp' and clean transition in calligraphy or painting strokes.
- The character 脆 contains the radical for 'meat' (⺼), which hints at its ancient connection to food textures.
Examples in context
- 这个苹果很脆。This apple is crunchy.
- 炸薯片嘎嘣脆，很好吃。The fried potato chips are crunchy and delicious.
- 这薯片很脆These potato chips are very crunchy.
- 这片薯片很脆。Zhè piàn shǔpiàn hěn cuì.This potato chip is very crunchy.
- 这种饼干吃起来很脆。Zhè zhǒng bǐnggān chī qǐlái hěn cuì.This kind of cookie is crunchy when eaten.
- 苹果很甜也很脆。Píngguǒ hěn tián yě hěn cuì.The apple is sweet and crunchy.
Example conversation
Two friends are eating snacks in a cafe.
- 雨婷 Yuting这个炸鸡很脆。Zhège zhájī hěn cuì.This fried chicken is very crunchy.
- 俊杰 Junjie是吗？我也想试试。Shì ma? Wǒ yě xiǎng shì shì.Is it? I want to try some too.
- 雨婷 Yuting俊杰，你也吃一块吧。Jùnjié, nǐ yě chī yī kuài ba.Junjie, you should eat a piece too.
- 俊杰 Junjie谢谢，真的很好吃。Xièxiè, zhēnde hěn hào chī.Thanks, it is really delicious.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “crunchy” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 脆, CC BY-SA 4.0.
