尝 (cháng) - to taste & to try

尝Tone 2

cháng ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical:

偲嫦

尝 · cháng

to taste;

to try;

to experience;

formerly;

ever;

once

to tasteto tryto experience

Usage highlights

to tasteto tryto experience hardshipnever beforeto have a tasteto sample

Synonyms

  • 试— to try, to test
  • 品— to sample, to taste

Antonyms

  • 弃— to abandon, to discard

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Let me taste this dish (尝一尝这道菜).
  • I have never tried this before (我从未尝过这个).
  • He experienced hardship in his youth (他年轻时尝过苦头).
  • Have you ever been to Beijing?(你尝去过北京吗?)

Collocations

  • to taste(品尝)
  • to try(尝试)
  • to experience hardship(尝苦头)
  • never before(未尝)
  • to have a taste(尝一尝)
  • to sample(尝鲜)

Idioms

  • To have a taste of hardship and bitterness(尝尽艰辛)
  • To sample all the delicacies(尝遍美味)
  • To try everything once(浅尝辄止)
  • To have experienced both hardship and comfort(尝遍甘苦)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally derived from the character 嘗, which combines 旨 (flavor) and 尚 (esteem), suggesting the act of discerning flavor.
  • In classical Chinese, 尝 often functions as an adverb meaning 'once' or 'formerly', as in 未尝 (never before).
  • The simplified form 尝 retains the top component 尚 but simplifies the bottom.

FAQ