TongTong
Sign in

原汁原味 (yuán zhī yuán wèi) — original and authentic; genuine; true to the original

Definition

Used for food, flavors, or cultural products kept true to the original recipe or style. Pairs with 地道 (colloquial 'authentic') and 正宗 (traditional/classic style); less formal than 正宗, broader than 地道.

phrase
original and authenticgenuinetrue to the original

Examples

  • 原汁原味。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng bǎo liú le xiǎo shuō de yuán zhī yuán wèi.
    This movie retains the original flavor of the novel.
  • 原汁原味。
    Zhè jiā lǎo diàn zuò de cài hái shì yuán zhī yuán wèi de lǎo wèi dào.
    The dishes at this old restaurant still have the authentic old taste.
  • 原汁原味。
    Fān yì shí yào jǐn liàng bǎo chí yuán wén de yuán zhī yuán wèi.
    When translating, try to keep the original flavor of the text.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

原汁original juice
原yuánoriginal汁zhījuice
偏正Modifier + head
原味original taste
原yuánoriginal味wèitaste
偏正Modifier + head

原汁 (original juice) and 原味 (original taste) together mean authentic and true to the source.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

原 combines 泉 (spring) and 厂 (cliff), picturing a spring bursting from a cliff-side, which gives the sense of origin or source.

Open 原 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
十
十shí汁zhī(r)
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

汁 has 氵, a form of 水, on the left and 十 on the right. The water part shows it is about a liquid, and 十 gives the sound.

Open 汁 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

原 combines 泉 (spring) and 厂 (cliff), picturing a spring bursting from a cliff-side, which gives the sense of origin or source.

Open 原 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
未
未wèi味wèi
Same sound today

味 combines 口 (mouth) with 未, which gives the sound wèi; the mouth part relates to taste.

Open 味 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Flavors & SeasoningsIdioms & Set Phrases

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.