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March 24, 2026
味wèi(wei4)
味 (wèi) refers to taste or flavor, often associated with how food is experienced through the senses. It can also indicate smell or odor, and is commonly used in contexts related to food, cooking, and sensory experiences. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), it serves as a classifier for certain drugs based on their taste profiles.
Strokes8Radical口Frequency#2127DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the balance of flavors is crucial in cooking, and the concept of '五味' (five tastes) — sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, and salty — plays a significant role in traditional cuisine and health beliefs.
Memory Tip
Imagine a chef tasting a dish, focusing on the 'wèi' (味) of each ingredient. The character 味 combines the component '口' (mouth) at the bottom, suggesting tasting, with '未' (not yet), hinting that flavors are something yet to be discovered. Picture a curious mouth waiting to explore delicious flavors.
Meanings of 味
wèi(wei4)
1taste
2smell
Exercise 1 of 3
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About 味
味Simplified
8Strokes
口Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#2127Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L4
Podcast: 味
Podcast: 味
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AI Study Notes for 味
Quick Contrast
味 (wèi) vs 口味 (kǒuwèi) — use 味 (wèi) for general taste or flavor, while 口味 (kǒuwèi) specifically refers to someone's personal taste preference.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a chef tasting a dish, focusing on the 'wèi' (味) of each ingredient. The character 味 combines the component '口' (mouth) at the bottom, suggesting tasting, with '未' (not yet), hinting that flavors are something yet to be discovered. Picture a curious mouth waiting to explore delicious flavors.
Usage Notes
Be cautious when using 味 in different contexts, as it can refer to both taste and smell depending on the situation. It is often collocated with words like '好' (good), '香' (fragrant), and '淡' (light). Remember that the third tone 'wèi' can be confused with the second tone 'wéi' if pronounced incorrectly.
HSK Study Tips
While 味 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it is relevant for learners at an intermediate level who are expanding their culinary vocabulary. Connecting it to other taste-related words like '甜' (sweet) and '咸' (salty) can deepen understanding of flavors in Mandarin.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the balance of flavors is crucial in cooking, and the concept of '五味' (five tastes) — sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, and salty — plays a significant role in traditional cuisine and health beliefs.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 味 with 觉 (jué), which means 'to feel' or 'to sense.' A common mistake is saying '我喜欢觉' (I like the taste), which should be corrected to '我喜欢味' (I like the taste).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 味
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Grammar Patterns of 味
味 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
It means that all the options are at least on the table.
9
用贮藏的一罐炼乳为茶添加了甜味。
yòng zhù cáng de yī guàn liàn rǔ wéi chá tiān jiā le tián wèi。
The tea was sweetened with a hoarded tin of condensed milk.
10
他的作品带有一种讽刺意味的幽默。
tā de zuò pǐn dài yǒu yī zhǒng fěng cì yì wèi de yōu mò。
There is a wry sense of humour in his work.
Cultural Notes for 味
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, taste is an essential element of cooking, with a focus on balancing flavors like sweet, sour, bitter, and salty to achieve harmony in dishes.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the balance of flavors is crucial in cooking, and the concept of '五味' (five tastes) — sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, and salty — plays a significant role in traditional cuisine and health beliefs.
📜Proverb
‘好吃的东西，味道好’ – A good meal must taste good. This reflects the importance of flavor in Chinese culinary traditions.
Word Family of 味
Compounds1
菋
Words Containing This Character20
意味着yìwèizheto signify意味著
味道wèidàoflavor
味wèitaste
美味měiwèidelicious
口味kǒuwèiflavor
意味meaning
滋味zīwèitaste
气味qìwèiodor氣味
品味to sample
香味xiāngwèifragrance
味儿wèirtaste味兒
一味yíwèiblindly
风味fēngwèidistinctive flavor風味
乏味tedious
调味seasoning調味
回味huíwèito reflect on
趣味qùwèifun
臭味stink
韵味yùnwèiinterest韻味
味精wèijīngmonosodium glutamate (MSG)
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 意味着 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 味
味 (wèi) primarily refers to taste, while 气味 (qìwèi) encompasses both taste and smell, translating to 'odor' or 'scent.' While 味 can be used specifically for flavors, 气味 is more general and can describe any aroma or fragrance.
Yes, 味 is used as a classifier for drugs in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). In this context, it helps categorize various medicinal substances based on their taste profiles, which are believed to affect their therapeutic properties.
味 (wèi) means 'taste' or 'smell' in Chinese. It can refer to the flavor of food or the scent of an object. Additionally, it functions as a classifier for drugs in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
You can use 味 in a sentence to describe flavors or scents. For example, you might say '这个菜的味道很好' (zhège cài de wèidào hěn hǎo), which means 'The taste of this dish is very good.' It can also be used in phrases like '香味' (xiāngwèi), meaning 'fragrance' or 'aroma.'
You can say '这道菜的味道很好' (The taste of this dish is very good) to express appreciation for food.
No, 味 can also refer to smell or odor, so it can be used in contexts beyond just food.
味 refers to taste or flavor in a general sense, while 口味 specifically refers to one's personal taste or preference.
