鲜

尟/尠/鮮/鱻

xiǎn, xiān

羊 + 鱼

HSK 3.0Level 4

Definitions

xiān (adjective) fresh; tasty; delicious

xiān (adjective) bright in color

xiǎn (adjective) few; rare

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 鱼 represents the meaning and 祥 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鮮.

Semantic: 鱼 Phonetic: 羊

About

鲜 is the simplified form of 鮮, a phonosemantic compound. The fish radical 鱼 (yú) indicates the meaning, pointing to the savory taste of fresh seafood. The right‑hand component 羊 (yáng) stands as a simplification of the sound element 祥 (xiáng). Together, the character originally named the delicious, umami quality of just‑caught fish and later broadened to express the general idea of freshness, and by extension, vivid, bright colors or newly made things.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这牛奶很新鲜。

Zhè niúnǎi hěn xīnxiān.

This milk is very fresh.

她买了一些鲜花。

Tā mǎile yīxiē xiānhuā.

She bought some fresh flowers.

海鲜的味道真鲜美。

Hǎixiān de wèidào zhēn xiānměi.

The seafood tastes really delicious and fresh.

他的观点非常鲜明。

Tā de guāndiǎn fēicháng xiānmíng.

His viewpoint is very clear and distinct.

这种水果鲜有人知。

Zhè zhǒng shuǐguǒ xiǎn yǒu rén zhī.

This type of fruit is rarely known by people.

这幅画的色彩鲜明亮丽。

Zhè fú huà de sècǎi xiānmíng liànglì.

The colors in this painting are vivid and bright.

他向我们讲述了鲜为人知的历史。

Tā xiàng wǒmen jiǎngshùle xiǎn wéi rén zhī de lìshǐ.

He told us about the little-known history.

这种现象在当今社会已屡见不鲜。

Zhè zhǒng xiànxiàng zài dāngjīn shèhuì yǐ lǚ jiàn bù xiān.

This phenomenon has become commonplace in today's society.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 羊

Component: 鱼

Example Words