气味

• Pinyin: qì wèi
• Hanzi breakdown: 气 = 气 (air/gas); 味 = 口 (mouth) + 未 (not yet) (taste/flavour — what lingers after)

Meaning

Smell; odour; scent. The characteristic smell or odour given off by something, whether pleasant or unpleasant.

Used for both pleasant and unpleasant smells. Can be used metaphorically to suggest the character or nature of something (e.g. 腐败的气味 — a whiff of corruption). Common in daily life, science, and literary description.

Examples

1. 厨房里飘来阵阵诱人的饭菜气味，令饥肠辘辘的孩子们忍不住频频探头张望，催促开饭。 Mouthwatering aromas of home-cooked food drifted from the kitchen, and the hungry children couldn’t stop peeking in and urging everyone to start eating.
2. 这种化学溶剂散发出刺鼻的气味，操作时务必开窗通风并佩戴专业防护口罩以确保安全。 This chemical solvent gives off a sharp, irritating odor; when using it, be sure to open windows for ventilation and wear a professional protective mask to stay safe.
3. 她一进门便敏锐地察觉到空气中弥漫着一股淡淡的花香气味，令整个室内清新怡人。 The moment she walked in, she keenly noticed a faint floral scent in the air, making the whole room feel fresh and pleasant.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, food, science, environment

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这种药材散发着独特的气味，经验丰富的中医师仅凭嗅觉便能辨别其品质与产地。(This medicinal herb gives off a distinctive odour — an experienced TCM physician can judge its quality and origin by smell alone.)
• 实验室里某些化学气味对长期暴露的研究人员有潜在健康影响，必须严格做好防护措施。(Certain chemical odours in the laboratory pose potential health risks for researchers with prolonged exposure — strict protective measures are essential.)

Don't Say

• 这篇文章的气味很好 — for abstract qualities or literary style, use 风格/味道/气息 instead; 气味 is primarily a sensory term

Origin & History

气 (air/gas) + 味 (taste/flavour) — the quality perceived through the sense of smell

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal