解馋 (jiě chán) — to satisfy a craving (for a particular food or dish)

Definition

A colloquial verb meaning to satisfy a craving for a particular tasty food (not hunger in general). Often used with 一次 ('finally got to ∼') or with a specific dish as the topic.

verb
to satisfy a craving (for a particular food or dish)

Examples

  • ，解馋解馋。
    Hǎo jiǔ méi chī huǒ guō le, jīn tiān qù jiě chán jiě chán.
    I haven't had hot pot in a long time — let's go satisfy that craving today.
  • ，。
    Tā mǎi le sān jīn xiǎo lóng xiā, zhōng yú jiě le yí cì chán.
    He bought three pounds of crawfish and finally satisfied his craving.
  • ，解馋。
    Zhè wǎn miàn suī rán jiǎn dān, dàn hěn jiě chán.
    This bowl of noodles is simple, but it really satisfies a craving.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

解jiěrelieve
馋cháncraving

解 relieves 馋, the craving for food.

Characters in this word

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

解 shows 刀 (knife) separating 角 (horn) from 牛 (cow), giving the picture of cutting up an ox.

Open 解 →

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 饞; 馋 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
飠Written in full as食shíto eat; food
Sound part声符shēngfú
毚
毚chán饞chán
Same sound today

The traditional form 饞 has 食 (to eat; food) on the left and 毚 on the right, with 毚 giving the sound; the simplified 馋 is a shorthand and its right side is not 毚.

Open 馋 →

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