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舌尖 (shé jiān) — tip of the tongue (anatomical); also used in idioms like 舌尖上的 (a taste of) and 在舌尖上 (on the tip of one's tongue)

Definition

Literally 'tip of the tongue', used anatomically and in the idiom 在舌尖上 ('on the tip of one's tongue', i.e. almost remembering). Also names the TV show A Bite of China in the set phrase 舌尖上的 (describing food culture).

noun
tip of the tongue (anatomical)also used in idioms like 舌尖上的 (a taste of) and 在舌尖上 (on the tip of one's tongue)

Examples

  • 舌尖，！
    Wǒ yǎo dào le shé jiān, hǎo téng a!
    I bit the tip of my tongue — it hurts so much!
  • 舌尖，。
    Nà ge cí jiù zài wǒ shé jiān shàng, dàn shì xiǎng bù qǐ lái.
    That word is on the tip of my tongue, but I can't recall it.
  • 舌尖。
    shé jiān Shàng de měi shí jié mù hěn shòu huān yíng.
    Food programs about the 'Tip of the Tongue' (A Bite of China) are very popular.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

舌shétongue
尖jiāntip

“舌” names the tongue and “尖” names the pointed end, so it is the tip of the tongue.

Characters in this word

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

舌 was drawn as a snake's forked tongue rising from an open mouth.

Open 舌 →

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

尖 puts 小 (small) above 大 (large), showing the width of an object gradually changing from small to large.

Open 尖 →
Appears in
Body Parts

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