香味 (xiāng wèi) — fragrance, scent, aroma (pleasant smell) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

fragrancescentaroma (pleasant smell)

Measure word · 股

Examples

香味。
Zhè duǒ huā sàn fā chū dàn dàn de xiāng wèi.
This flower emits a faint fragrance.
香味。
Chú fáng lǐ piāo lái yí zhèn fàn cài de xiāng wèi.
A whiff of food aroma wafts from the kitchen.
香味。
Tā xǐ huan yòng méi gui xiāng wèi de xiāng shuǐ.
She likes to use rose-scented perfume.

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.

香xiāngfragrant

香 means fragrant and 味 means smell; together they mean a pleasant scent.

Characters in this word

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

黍黍shǔglutinous millet
口口kǒumouth

香's early form paired 黍 (glutinous millet) with 口 (mouth), perhaps showing millet drink being taken in or offered.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

口未味

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.

Appears in

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