涎 (xián) — saliva (formal/literary)

Definition

Formal/literary word for 'saliva'. Most often appears in the set phrases 垂涎三尺 (to drool with desire) and 流涎 (to drool); the everyday word is 口水.

noun
saliva (formal/literary)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 。
    Tā kàn jiàn měi shí jiù chuí xián sān chǐ.
    He drools over delicious food (lit. 'drools three feet').
  • 涎。
    Zhè zhǒng bìng huì dǎo zhì liú xián bù zhǐ.
    This disease can cause continuous drooling.
  • 涎。
    Yīng ér shuì jiào shí cháng cháng liú xián.
    Babies often drool when they sleep.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
延
延yán涎xián
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

涎 combines 水, which carries the meaning, with 延, which gives the sound.

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