芳香 (fāng xiāng) — fragrant; aromatic | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A literary, written-style adjective for a rich, pleasing fragrance — more elevated than the everyday 香 (xiāng). Pairs naturally with 的 to modify a noun (芳香的气味, 芳香的咖啡).

adjective

fragrantaromatic

Examples

芳香。
Huā yuán lǐ chōng mǎn le fāng xiāng de qì wèi.
The garden is filled with the scent of flowers.
芳香。
Zhè zhǒng xiāng shuǐ yǒu dàn yǎ de fāng xiāng.
This perfume has a delicate fragrance.
芳香。
fāng xiāng De kā fēi ràng wǒ jīng shén yí zhèn.
The aromatic coffee perked me up.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

芳fāngfragrant

香xiāngfragrant

芳 and 香 both mean fragrant, so together they describe a pleasant scent.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艸艸cǎograss

Sound part声符shēngfú

方

方fāng芳fāng

Same sound today

芳 pairs 艸 (grass) with 方 (fāng); the 方 part gives the sound.

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.

Appears in

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