香肠

• Pinyin: xiāng cháng
• Hanzi breakdown: 香 = 禾 (grain) + 日 (sun), meaning fragrant; 肠 = 月 (flesh) + 昜 (bright), meaning intestine

Meaning

Sausage. A food made of ground meat stuffed into a casing, often seasoned and preserved.

Includes both Western-style sausages and Chinese varieties like 腊肠 (lap cheong). Chinese sausages are typically sweeter and drier than Western ones. Can be eaten directly, used in cooking, or added to rice dishes.

Examples

1. 早餐我吃了两根香肠和一个煎蛋。 For breakfast I had two sausages and a fried egg.
2. 广东的腊肠特别有名，又甜又香。 Cantonese lap cheong is especially famous, sweet and fragrant.
3. 超市里有很多种香肠，你想买哪种？ There are many types of sausages in the supermarket, which kind do you want to buy?

Usage Guide

Context: food, everyday

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 来两根香肠，不要太辣的。(Give me two sausages, not too spicy.)
• 这个香肠是用什么肉做的？(What kind of meat is this sausage made of?)

Don't Say

• 香肠肉 (Redundant — 香肠 already refers to the sausage product, not just sausage-flavored meat)

Origin & History

Compound of 香 (fragrant) and 肠 (intestine), referring to the aromatic filling in intestine casing.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal