荤 (hūn) — non-vegetarian food (meat, fish, or pungent vegetables like garlic and onion); (in Buddhist context) any food considered 'unclean' for a vegetarian diet, including meat and strong-smelling plants
Definition
Food category for meat, fish, and strong-smelling vegetables (garlic, onion) — pairs with 素 in set phrases like 荤菜, 吃荤. The Buddhist sense of 'unclean' food is broader than ordinary 'meat'.
noun
non-vegetarian food (meat, fish, or pungent vegetables like garlic and onion)(in Buddhist context) any food considered 'unclean' for a vegetarian dietincluding meat and strong-smelling plants
Examples
- ，。Tā píng shí zhī chī sù, hěn shǎo chī hūn.He usually only eats vegetarian; he rarely eats meat.
- 荤。Fó jiào tú bù chī cōng suàn děng hūn xīng shí wù.Buddhists avoid pungent foods like onions and garlic, as well as meat and fish.
- 荤，。Zhè jiā cān tīng yǒu hūn yǒu sù, xuǎn zé hěn duō.This restaurant has both meat and vegetarian dishes — lots of choices.
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