Definition
鲜血 (xiān xuè) is a literary term for 'blood' used in heroic, tragic, or emotionally charged contexts — think martyrs, battles, or sacrifice. It contrasts with everyday 血 (xiě), the spoken word for ordinary blood (e.g., a cut finger), and 血液 (xuè yè), the clinical/biological term for blood as a bodily fluid. 鲜血 is not used for medical or neutral situations.
noun
fresh blood(literary) blood (used in heroic or tragic contexts)
Examples
- 鲜血。Lièshì de xiān xuè rǎn hóng le zhè piàn tǔdì.The martyrs' blood dyed this land red.
- 鲜血，。Tā shòushāng hòu liú le hěn duō xiān xuè, dàn yīrán jiānchí zhàndòu.He bled a lot after being wounded, but still kept fighting.
- 鲜血。Zhè bù xiǎoshuō shì yòng xiān xuè hé lèishuǐ xiě chéng de.This novel was written with blood and tears.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.