嗅

xiù
口 + 臭
HSK 3.0Level 7

Definitions

xiù to smell; to sniff; to nose

Etymology

To taste 口 an odor 臭; 臭 also provides the pronunciation

About

A phono-semantic compound, 嗅 pairs the mouth radical 口 on the left with 臭 (odor) on the right. The component 臭 serves both as a semantic indicator, since it means 'foul smell' or 'odor,' and as a phonetic guide. While the mouth radical typically relates to the mouth or face, here it combines with the odor element to convey the act of smelling, effectively 'tasting' an odor. Thus, 嗅 means 'to smell' or 'to sniff,' referring straightforwardly to olfactory perception, and lacks significant metaphorical extensions. It remains a precise term for the sensory intake of smells.

Example Sentences Hide

小狗嗅了嗅那朵花。

Xiǎo gǒu xiù le xiù nà duǒ huā.

The puppy sniffed that flower.

他的嗅觉非常灵敏。

Tā de xiùjué fēicháng língmǐn.

His sense of smell is very keen.

猫喜欢嗅陌生人的气味。

Māo xǐhuan xiù mòshēngrén de qìwèi.

Cats like to sniff the scent of strangers.

警犬正在仔细嗅探行李。

Jǐngquǎn zhèngzài zǐxì xiùtàn xínglǐ.

The police dog is carefully sniffing the luggage.

我从空气中嗅到了春天的气息。

Wǒ cóng kōngqì zhōng xiù dào le chūntiān de qìxī.

I smell the scent of spring in the air.

这位商人总能嗅到市场的商机。

Zhè wèi shāngrén zǒng néng xiù dào shìchǎng de shāngjī.

This businessman can always sniff out market opportunities.

敏锐的嗅觉让他提前嗅出了危险。

Mǐnruì de xiùjué ràng tā tíqián xiù chū le wēixiǎn.

His keen sense of smell allowed him to sense the danger in advance.

闭上眼睛，用嗅觉去感受这片森林的独特芬芳。

Bìshàng yǎnjing, yòng xiùjué qù gǎnshòu zhè piàn sēnlín de dútè fēnfāng.

Close your eyes and use your sense of smell to experience the unique fragrance of this forest.

Related Characters

Component: 口

中 和 可 后 如 同 只 知 高 问 向 或 加 合

Component: 臭

溴 糗 䍹 殠

Example Words

嗅觉