回味 (huí wèi) — (verb) to savor, to recall and ponder over (a pleasant experience, memory, etc.); (noun) aftertaste; lingering impression or flavor

Definition

回味 pairs the literal 'aftertaste' with the figurative sense of savoring a memory or experience. Unlike 味道 (plain taste/flavor) or 品味 (aesthetic appreciation), 回味 is about a lingering impression you return to in thought.

verb
to savorto recall and ponder over (a pleasant experience, memory, etc.)
noun
aftertastelingering impression or flavor

Examples

  • ,回味。
    Měi cì kàn dào lǎo zhào piàn, wǒ dōu huì huí wèi nà duàn měi hǎo de shí guāng.
    Every time I look at old photos, I savor the wonderful time from the past.
  • ,回味。
    Zhè shǒu qǔ zi tīng wán hòu, réng rán liú xià wú qióng de huí wèi.
    After listening to this piece of music, it still leaves an endless aftertaste.
  • 回味。
    Tā xǐ huan zài yè shēn rén jìng shí dú zì huí wèi yì běn shū de xì jié.
    He likes to savor the details of a book alone in the quiet of the night.

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.

回huíreturn
味wèiflavor

回 means return and 味 means flavor, together suggesting a flavor that comes back or is savored.

Characters in this word

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

回 comes from a drawing of a spiral, showing something turning around.

Open 回 →

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 →

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