What is the difference between 甞 and 嘗?

甞 is an ancient variant of 嘗. In modern usage, 嘗 is the standard form for 'to taste', while 甞 appears mainly in classical texts and is considered archaic.

Is 甞 suitable for modern names?

While 甞 carries scholarly and classical appeal, its complexity and archaic nature make it challenging for modern names. Consider 嘗 or other characters for better readability.

How is 甞 pronounced and used?

Pronounced chang2 (second tone). Historically used for both 'to taste' and 'often'. In modern contexts, it's primarily encountered in classical literature and historical texts.

甞Tone 2

cháng ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

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甞 · cháng

To taste;

to try;

to experience;

to test;

formerly used as a variant of 嘗 (taste/experience) and 常 (often/constant).

To tasteto tryto experience

Usage highlights

To tasteTo experience hardshipTo attempt/tryTo taste flavorOften seenAncient variant of 常

Synonyms

嘗— To taste; to try (modern standard form)
试— To try; to test
品— To sample; to savor

Antonyms

吐— To spit out (opposite of tasting)

Usage & contexts

Examples

Let me taste this dish (甞一甞).
He has experienced hardship (甞过苦头).
Ancient texts sometimes use 甞 for 'often' (甞见).
We need to test this method (甞试).

Collocations

To taste(甞一甞)
To experience hardship(甞苦头)
To attempt/try(甞试)
To taste flavor(甞味)
Often seen(甞见)
Ancient variant of 常(甞常)

Idioms

To taste hardship and experience toil(甞苦甞辛)
To sample all kinds of flavors(甞遍百味)
To test the waters(甞试甞试)

Cultural background

FAQ

甞 is an ancient variant of 嘗 (to taste) and was also used interchangeably with 常 (often/constant) in classical texts.
In historical contexts, 甞 appears in philosophical and literary works, carrying connotations of experiential knowledge.
The character's usage diminished in modern Chinese, largely replaced by 嘗 in simplified contexts.

甞 (cháng) - To taste & to try