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甘甜 (gān tián) — sweet (in taste or experience)

Definition

Literary/poetic alternative to 甜 — describes a pure, mellow sweetness, often used for natural taste or nostalgic feelings. More written and elevated than the everyday 甜.

adjective
sweet (in taste or experience)

Examples

  • 甘甜。
    Zhè zhǒng xī guā hěn gān tián.
    This kind of watermelon is very sweet.
  • ，甘甜。
    Tā cháng le yì kǒu, jué de wèi dào gān tián.
    He took a bite and found the taste sweet.
  • 甘甜。
    Nà shì yí cì gān tián de huí yì.
    That was a sweet memory.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

甘gānsweet
甜tiánsweet

甘 and 甜 both mean sweet, combined to intensify the taste.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

甘 originally drew an open mouth with something sweet inside it. This gives the sense of sweet or pleasant.

Open 甘 →

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

甜 puts 舌 (tongue) next to 甘 (sweet), showing sweetness as something the tongue perceives.

Open 甜 →
Appears in
Flavors & Seasonings

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