娇嫩 (jiāo nèn) — tender and delicate; fragile

Definition

Describes something soft, fine, and easily damaged — used for skin, flower petals, baby flesh. Stronger and more vivid than 柔软, with a built-in sense of fragility.

adjective
tender and delicatefragile

Examples

  • 娇嫩，。
    Tā de pí fū hěn jiāo nèn, xū yào hǎo hǎo bǎo yǎng.
    Her skin is very delicate and needs good care.
  • ，娇嫩。
    Zhè duǒ huā de yán sè hěn xiān yàn, huā bàn fēi cháng jiāo nèn.
    This flower's color is bright, and the petals are very tender.
  • 娇嫩，。
    Yīng ér de jī fū hěn jiāo nèn, yí dìng yào yòng wēn hé de chǎn pǐn.
    A baby's skin is very delicate; you must use gentle products.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

娇jiāotender/lovely
嫩nèntender/soft

娇 and 嫩 both describe softness and youthfulness, so 娇嫩 means tender, delicate, and fragile.

Characters in this word

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 嬌; 娇 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
女女nǚwoman
Sound part声符shēngfú
喬
喬qiáo嬌jiāo
Same sound today

The traditional form 嬌 has 女 (woman) beside 喬, which gave the sound; the simplified 娇 is a shorthand.

Open 娇 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 嫩 →

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