TongTong
Sign in

新鲜 (xīn xiān) — fresh (of food); fresh, new, novel (of experiences, ideas, etc.)

Definition

新鲜 (xīnxiān) is the everyday adjective for 'fresh' — food just picked/made, or a new and original idea or experience. Use it for both senses; 新 means only 'new', while 新颖 is more formal for 'novel/innovative'.

adjective
fresh (of food)freshnewnovel (of experiences, ideas, etc.)

Examples

  • 新鲜。
    Zhè xiē shū cài hěn xīn xiān.
    These vegetables are very fresh.
  • 新鲜。
    Wǒ xiǎng hē xīn xiān de shuǐ.
    I want to drink fresh water.
  • 新鲜。
    Zhè ge xiǎng fǎ hěn xīn xiān.
    This idea is fresh and new.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

新xīnnew
鲜xiānfresh

The ideas of 新 (new) and 鲜 (fresh) combine to mean fresh, new, or uncommon.

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.

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
斤斤jīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
辛
辛xīn新xīn
Same sound today

The shape originally paired 斤, for chopping wood, with 辛 for sound. It was borrowed for its sound to write 新, so the chopping-wood parts are unrelated to 'new'.

Open 新 →

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 鮮; 鲜 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
魚魚yúfish
Sound part声符shēngfú
羴
羴shān鮮xiān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 鮮 pairs 魚 (fish) with 羴, which gives the sound; this note is about 鮮, not 鲜.

Open 鲜 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 3HSK 2.0 Level 3Food (General)Good & Bad3000 Most Frequent Chinese Words5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

Browse more HSK 3 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.