蜂蜜

• Pinyin: fēng mì
• Hanzi breakdown: 蜂 = 虫 + 夆 (insect radical + peak component — bee, wasp); 蜜 = 宓 + 虫 (silent/hidden + insect — honey, sweet nectar)

Meaning

Honey; the viscous sweet substance produced by bees from flower nectar.

Valued in both food culture and traditional Chinese medicine for nourishing and healing properties. 蜂蜜水 (honey water) is a common folk remedy. 土蜂蜜 = wild or local honey. Common collocations: 蜂蜜蛋糕 (honey cake), 蜂蜜柚子茶 (honey citron tea), 蜂蜜面膜 (honey face mask).

Examples

1. 这家养蜂场坚持天然授粉，蜂蜜不经加热或过滤，最大限度保留花粉和活性酶。 This apiary insists on natural pollination, and its honey is neither heated nor filtered, preserving pollen and active enzymes as much as possible.
2. 中医典籍中对蜂蜜的药用功效记载颇为丰富，认为其具有润肺止咳、滋补脾胃的作用，尤其适合在气候干燥的秋冬季节作为日常调理之用。 Traditional Chinese medical texts contain extensive records of honey’s medicinal uses, describing it as helping to moisten the lungs and relieve coughs and to nourish the spleen and stomach—especially suitable for daily conditioning during the dry fall and winter seasons.
3. 市场上蜂蜜品牌繁多，消费者应分辨天然蜂蜜和掺糖浆、色素的劣质仿制品。 With so many honey brands on the market, consumers should be able to tell natural honey apart from low-quality imitations mixed with syrup and coloring.

Usage Guide

Context: food, health, traditional medicine, commerce

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 秋燥时适量喝蜂蜜水可缓解咽喉不适，但蜂蜜含糖高，糖尿病患者应先咨询医生。(Moderate honey water can ease throat discomfort in dry autumn weather, but honey is high in sugar, so people with diabetes should consult a doctor first.)
• 这款黑麦面包用野花蜂蜜代替精制糖，既有花香余韵，也略降升糖指数。(This rye bread uses wildflower honey instead of refined sugar, giving it a floral finish and slightly lowering its glycaemic index.)

Don't Say

• 蜂蜜 to describe a sweet-tempered person — in Chinese, 甜蜜 or 温柔 are used for sweet personalities; 蜂蜜 is specifically the food product

Origin & History

蜂 (bee) + 蜜 (nectar, honey) — the honey made by bees

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal