About
The character 涎 primarily functions as a noun for saliva and as a verb meaning to drool or covet. It is a phono-semantic compound: the water radical 氵 provides the semantic category of liquids, while the right component 延 (yán) supplies the pronunciation and may subtly evoke the stretching of a viscous fluid. Historically, it has retained its literal biological sense while extending metaphorically, especially in idioms expressing greed or intense desire for something desired.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
婴儿经常流涎。
他睡觉时流涎。
看到草莓蛋糕我垂涎。
这只狗对着肉流涎。
婴儿的涎水弄湿了衣服。
他忍不住对新车垂涎。
看到如此精美的艺术品，他不禁垂涎。
长期流涎可能是健康问题的征兆。