Definition
气味 (qìwèi) refers specifically to a smell or odor, often neutral or negative. 味道 (wèidào) is primarily 'taste' but can also mean 'smell' in everyday speech; 味 (wèi) is a shorter form used in compounds like 味道 or 气味 itself. Unlike 气 (qì), which can mean 'air' or 'gas', 气味 always means a detectable scent.
noun
smellodorscent
Examples
- 气味。Huādiàn lǐ de qì wèi zhēn ràng rén xīnqíng yúkuài.The scent in the flower shop really makes people feel happy.
- 气味。Wǒ cónglái méi wén guo zhè zhǒng qì wèi.I've never smelled this kind of smell before.
- 气味。Xiàshuǐdào lǐ chuánlái yì gǔ nánwén de qì wèi.A foul smell came from the sewer.
Browse more HSK 6 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.