尝尝 (cháng cháng) — to have a taste, to try (food or drink)

Definition

尝尝 (cháng chang) is a casual, repeated form meaning 'have a little taste / try a bite' — softer and more inviting than plain 尝, often used when offering food.

bound form

to have a tasteto try (food or drink)

Examples

尝尝。
Nǐ cháng cháng zhè ge cài ba.
Have a taste of this dish.
尝尝，。
Wǒ cháng cháng zhè wǎn tāng, wèi dào bú cuò.
I had a taste of this soup; it tastes good.
尝尝。
Qǐng cháng cháng zhè ge shuǐ guǒ.
Please taste this fruit.

Origin

Reduplicated word

构词法gòucífǎ

重叠chóngdiéReduplication

A syllable said twice — for affection, for softness, or simply because that is how the word is said.

尝chángtaste

尝 means to taste, and the repeated 尝 suggests a quick, casual try.

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 嘗; 尝 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 尝 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (尝, 尝试) it is 嘗; in others (品尝) it is 嚐.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

旨旨zhǐtasty

Sound part声符shēngfú

尚

尚shàng嘗cháng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 嘗 pairs 旨 (tasty) with 尚, which supplies the sound; the simplified 尝 is a later shorthand.

Open 尝 →