咸
xián
The English word "savory" is translated into Chinese as 咸 (xián).
咸 is used to describe flavors that are salty or non-sweet. To use this word more naturally as an adjective when describing the flavor profile of a specific food within a sentence, you can add the particle 的 to form 咸的.
Meaning: salty or non-sweet (adj)
Which one should you use?
咸 (xián) is the direct antonym of 甜 (tián), which means sweet.
How do you pronounce it?
xián
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often confuse 咸 (xián), which means salty, with 鲜 (xiān), which refers to umami or fresh flavors.
Did you know?
- Because 咸 (xián) specifically targets the saltiness, a Chinese person might describe a 'savory' meat dish as 香 (xiāng), which actually means 'fragrant'.
- The word 咸 (xián) is etymologically linked to the concept of 'together' or 'all' in ancient Chinese, suggesting a sense of completeness or gathering.
- In Chinese culinary terms, a dish can be 咸口 (xián kǒu), which literally means 'salty mouth'. This is the standard way to categorize 'savory' snacks versus 'sweet' snacks.
Examples in context
- 这道菜非常鲜美！This dish is incredibly savory!
- 我一直喜欢韩国菜的鲜美口味。I've always loved the savory flavors of Korean cuisine.
- 这道麻婆豆腐真鲜香！This mapo tofu is incredibly savory and fragrant!
- 我不喜欢吃太咸的东西。Wǒ bù xǐhuān chī tài xián de dōngxi.I don't like eating things that are too salty.
Example conversation
Wei and Xiaowen are eating dinner at home.
- 伟 Wei晓雯，这个汤味道怎么样？Xiǎowén, zhège tāng wèidào zěnmeyàng?Xiaowen, how is the taste of this soup?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen感觉有点太咸了。Gǎnjué yǒudiǎn tài xián le.I feel it is a bit too salty.
- 伟 Wei对不起，我会少放点盐。Duìbuqǐ, wǒ huì shǎo fàng diǎn yán.Sorry, I will put less salt in next time.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen没关系，下次注意就好。Méiguānxi, xiàcì zhùyì jiù hǎo.It's okay, just be careful next time.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 咸, CC BY-SA 4.0.
