美味可口 (měi wèi kě kǒu) — delicious; tasty; excellent in flavor

Definition

A fixed set phrase meaning 'delicious and tasty,' used as a predicate to praise food — stronger and more literary than the everyday 好吃.

verb
delicioustastyexcellent in flavor

Examples

  • 美味可口。
    Zhè jiā cān tīng de cài zhēn shì měi wèi kě kǒu.
    The dishes at this restaurant are truly delicious.
  • ，美味可口。
    Wǒ cháng le yì kǒu, guǒ rán měi wèi kě kǒu.
    I took a taste and indeed it was delicious.
  • ，美味可口。
    Mā ma zuò de hóng shāo ròu bù jǐn hǎo kàn, ér qiě měi wèi kě kǒu.
    My mom's braised pork is not only appealing to the eye but also delicious.

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.

美味delicious flavor
美měidelicious味wèiflavor
偏正Modifier + head
可口tasty
可kěcan口kǒumouth
动宾Verb + object

“美味” (delicious flavor) and “可口” (pleasant to the mouth) together say something tastes very good.

Characters in this word

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

美 shows 大, a person, wearing 羊, a headdress of feathers or ram's horn.

Open 美 →

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 →

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kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
丂
丂kǎo可kě
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

可 pairs 口 (mouth) with 丂 as a sound part; it is tied to air from the mouth, perhaps singing.

Open 可 →

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

The form 口 looks like an open mouth.

Open 口 →

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