香

• Pinyin: xiāng
• Hanzi breakdown: 香 = 禾 (grain) + 日 (sun); the pleasant smell of grain drying in the sun

Meaning

Fragrant; aromatic; delicious. Describes pleasant smells or tasty food.

A versatile adjective used for pleasant aromas (花很香 the flowers smell nice) and for food that tastes good or is eaten with relish (饭很香 the food is delicious, 吃得很香 eating with great enjoyment). Also used as a noun for incense (烧香 burn incense). In colloquial speech, 睡得很香 means to sleep soundly.

Examples

1. 这朵花闻起来真香。 This flower smells really lovely.
2. 妈妈做的饭特别香。 The food Mom makes is especially delicious.
3. 宝宝今天睡得很香。 The baby slept very soundly today.

Usage Guide

Context: food, everyday, description

Tone: positive

Do Say

• 这个菜闻起来好香！(This dish smells so good!)
• 她用的香水很香。(The perfume she wears smells lovely.)

Don't Say

• 这个化学品很香。(Don't use 香 for chemical or industrial smells, even if pleasant — 香 implies natural or food-related pleasant aromas.)

Origin & History

香 is a pictophonetic character. The upper part 禾 represents grain, and the lower part 日 (sun) suggests the sweet aroma of sun-dried grain. Originally meant the fragrance of cooked grain.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal