细嫩 (xì nèn) — delicate, tender, fine (of skin, texture, or young plants)

Definition

Used for skin, food textures, and young plants that are fine-grained and soft to the touch. Stronger on the 'fine, smooth' angle than 柔软, and more about delicate softness than 嫩 alone.

adjective
delicatetenderfine (of skin, texture, or young plants)

Examples

  • 细嫩，。
    Tā de pí fū hěn xì nèn, xiàng yīng ér yí yàng.
    Her skin is very delicate, like a baby's.
  • 细嫩，。
    Zhè zhǒng dòu fu kǒu gǎn xì nèn, rù kǒu jí huà.
    This kind of tofu has a tender texture that melts in your mouth.
  • 细嫩，。
    Chūn tiān de xīn yá fēi cháng xì nèn, yào xiǎo xīn bǎo hù.
    Spring's new shoots are very tender; you need to protect them carefully.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

细xìfine
嫩nèntender

细 means fine and 嫩 means tender, combining to describe soft, delicate texture.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 細; 细 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
囟
囟xìn細xì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 細 pairs 糸, silk or thread, with 囟 for the sound. The simplified 细 is a later shorthand, and the old right part changed shape.

Open 细 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 嫩 →

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