回味无穷 (huí wèi wú qióng) — to leave a lasting and pleasant impression; to linger in the memory

Definition

A chengyu meaning an experience (a meal, speech, story) leaves a rich aftertaste you keep savoring — a 'lasting and pleasant impression' that lingers in the mind.

idiom
to leave a lasting and pleasant impressionto linger in the memory

Examples

  • ，回味无穷。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng qíng jié jīng cǎi, ràng rén huí wèi wú qióng.
    This movie has a brilliant plot that leaves a lasting impression.
  • ，回味无穷。
    Nà dùn fàn wèi dào xiān měi, zhì jīn huí wèi wú qióng.
    That meal was delicious, and the memory of it still lingers.
  • ，回味无穷。
    Tā de yǎn jiǎng yì wèi shēn cháng, lìng rén huí wèi wú qióng.
    His speech was profound and thought-provoking, leaving a lasting impression.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

回味aftertaste
回huíreturn味wèiflavor
偏正Modifier + head
无穷endless
无wúnot穷qióngexhaust
偏正Modifier + head

'回' and '味' give the image of a flavor returning, while '无' and '穷' say it cannot be exhausted.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

回 comes from a drawing of a spiral, showing something turning around.

Open 回 →

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 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 無; 无 is its simplified writing.

For the simplified 无, the story is about 無. 無 drew a person dancing with ox tails held in both hands to pray for rain, then was borrowed for 'have no', so the picture does not explain that meaning.

Open 无 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 窮; 穷 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
穴穴xuécave; nest; confinement
Sound part声符shēngfú
躬
躬gōng窮qióng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 窮, 穴 (cave; nest; confinement) gives the sense and 躬 gives the sound; this is about 窮, not the simplified 穷.

Open 穷 →

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