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酸甜苦辣 (suān tián kǔ là) — (idiom, literal) sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy hot — the four basic tastes; (idiom, figurative) the joys and sorrows of life; all the ups andwelling range of ups and downs

Definition

Four-character phrase that names the four basic tastes literally, and figuratively means 'all the joys and sorrows of life' — a complete, mixed experience. A richer, set-phrase alternative to 悲欢离合 for the same idea.

phrase
(idiom, literal) sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy hot — the four basic tastes(idiom, figurative) the joys and sorrows of lifeall the ups andwelling range of ups and downs

Examples

  • 酸甜苦辣，。
    Zhǐ yǒu cháng guò rén shēng de suān tián kǔ là, cái néng biàn de chéng shú.
    Only after tasting life's ups and downs can you become mature.
  • 酸甜苦辣，。
    Tā jīng lì le chuàng yè de suān tián kǔ là, zuì hòu zhōng yú chéng gōng le.
    She went through all the ups and downs of starting a business and finally succeeded.
  • 酸甜苦辣，。
    Zhè dào cài bāo hán le suān tián kǔ là sì zhǒng wèi dào, fēi cháng dú tè.
    This dish contains all four flavors — sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy — and is very unique.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

酸甜sour and sweet
酸suānsour甜tiánsweet
联合Coordinate
苦辣bitter and spicy
苦kǔbitter辣làspicy
联合Coordinate

酸甜 and 苦辣 are two pairs of basic tastes, together evoking the full range of life's joys and sorrows.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
酉酉yǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
夋
夋qūn酸suān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

酸 is built from 酉 and 夋, and 夋 gives the sound.

Open 酸 →

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 →

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
艸艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
古
古gǔ苦kǔ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The top 艸 shows grass or plants, matching the sense of bitter plants. The bottom 古 gives the sound.

Open 苦 →

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
辛辛xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
束
剌là辣là
Same sound today

辣 is built from 辛, which carries the meaning, and 束, written in full as 剌, which carries the sound.

Open 辣 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5

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