Traditional: 甞
cháng HSK 3

English Meaning

📚 Example Sentences

我尝了苹果。
Wǒ cháng le píngguǒ.
I tasted the apple.
你尝过中国菜吗?
Nǐ cháng guò Zhōngguó cài ma?
Have you tried Chinese food?
他尝着咖啡。
Tā cháng zhe kāfēi.
He is tasting the coffee.
你尝这个。
Nǐ cháng zhège.
You taste this.
我尝了茶。
Wǒ cháng le chá.
I tasted the tea.

💡 Memory Tip

Think of 尝 as 'to taste'—it includes the radical 口 (mouth) and 尚 (still/esteem), suggesting using one's mouth to esteem or evaluate something, like tasting food to appreciate its flavor.

📝 Usage Notes

Used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in spoken language related to food or new experiences. Common in daily situations like tasting food (尝菜, cháng cài - to taste dishes), trying something new (尝新, cháng xīn - to try something new), or expressing past experiences (尝过, cháng guò - have tried). It is neutral and straightforward.

📖 Grammar Points

Often used as a transitive verb with an object (e.g., 尝菜, cháng cài - to taste dishes). Can form verb-complement structures like 尝一下 (cháng yīxià - to have a taste) or 尝不出 (cháng bù chū - cannot taste). Also appears in negative forms with 没 or 未 (e.g., 没尝过, méi cháng guò - have not tried).

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese culture, 尝 reflects the importance of food and hospitality, often used in social settings to encourage sharing meals. It ties into values of curiosity and practicality, as in the idiom 尝鼎一脔 (cháng dǐng yī luán - to taste a piece and know the whole), symbolizing learning from small experiences.

🔄 Similar Words

Compared to 试 (shì) which means 'to test' or 'to try' in a broader sense (e.g., 试衣服, shì yīfu - to try on clothes), 尝 specifically focuses on tasting food or experiencing something sensory. Compared to 吃 (chī - to eat), 尝 emphasizes sampling rather than consuming fully.

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