Definition
鲜 (xiān) is a versatile adjective meaning 'fresh' (food, flowers) and also 'delicious, tasty' — it emphasizes natural, unprocessed freshness and flavor. Unlike 新鲜 (xīnxiān), which can also mean 'novel' (ideas/experiences), 鲜 focuses on food's just-picked or just-caught quality; for 'tasty', it's more literary than the everyday 好吃 (hǎochī). It also describes bright colors (e.g., 鲜红 'bright red'), a sense that 新鲜 and 好吃 lack.
adjective
fresh (of food, flowers, etc.)delicioustastybright (of color)
Easily confused
- 样yànglook-alike(classifier) kind, type, variety
- 先xiānsound-alikefirst, in advance, before others
- 善shànlook-alikevirtuous; kind-hearted; benevolent
- 线xiànsound-alikethread; string; wire; line
- 险xiǎnsound-alike(adjective) dangerous, perilous
- 献xiànsound-aliketo offer, to present (with respect, e.g. flowers, gifts, opinion)
- 陷xiànsound-aliketo sink into, to get stuck in (physical substance); to cave in
- 显xiǎnsound-alike(adjective) prominent, conspicuous, obvious
- 县xiànsound-alikecounty
- 闲xiánsound-alikefree (not busy), idle, unoccupied
Examples
- 鲜。Zhèxiē shuǐguǒ hěn xiān.These fruits are very fresh.
- 鲜。Zhège cài hěn xiān.This dish is very delicious.
- 。Zhè jiàn yīfu shì xiān hóng de.This piece of clothing is bright red.
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