Definitions
(adjective)
salty
(adjective)
all; everyone; each
(adjective)
harmonious
Etymology
Depicts a massacre with a weapon (戌), based on the original meaning "massacre". The current meaning is a phonetic loan.
About
The character 咸 originally conveyed the meaning of "all" or "together" in classical Chinese, with its composition historically linked to elements denoting collective expression. The traditional form 鹹, specifically denoting the taste "salty", structurally combines the radical 鹵 for "salt" with 咸 acting as a phonetic component. Over time, 咸 was phonetically borrowed to represent saltiness, leading to its adoption in simplified orthography where it replaced 鹹, thereby acquiring the primary sense of "salty" in modern usage while its original meaning became largely confined to classical phrases or historical texts.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这碗汤有点咸。
我不喜欢吃咸的食物。
早餐我吃了咸菜和粥。
这道菜比那道菜咸。
咸水湖里有很多鱼。
公司的员工咸支持这个决定。
如果你觉得菜太咸，可以加点糖。
由于厨师放多了盐，整锅汤都变得很咸。