甜

• Pinyin: tián
• Hanzi breakdown: 甜 = 舌 (tongue) + 甘 (sweet), depicting the tongue experiencing sweetness

Meaning

Sweet; having the taste of sugar. Describes the basic taste sensation of sweetness.

Used for food and drinks, and figuratively for pleasant things: 甜蜜 (sweet/honeyed), 甜言蜜语 (sweet nothings). Can describe a sweet smile (甜甜的笑容) or a sweet voice. One of the five basic tastes in Chinese: 酸甜苦辣咸.

Examples

1. 这个西瓜特别甜。 This watermelon is especially sweet.
2. 她喜欢吃甜的东西。 She likes to eat sweet things.
3. 南方菜的口味偏甜。 Southern Chinese cuisine tends to be on the sweet side.

Usage Guide

Context: food, everyday, descriptive

Tone: positive

Do Say

• 这个蛋糕太甜了。(This cake is too sweet.)
• 她笑得很甜。(She has a very sweet smile.)

Don't Say

• 这首歌很甜。(Avoid using 甜 directly for songs — use 甜美 or 好听 instead. While 甜 can be figurative, pairing it with 歌 sounds unnatural without a more specific modifier.)

Origin & History

An ancient character combining 舌 (tongue) and 甘 (sweet), depicting the tongue tasting something sweet.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal