脆 (cuì) - crisp, brittle, fragile & (of food) crunchy

脆Tone 4

cuì ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

橙丁

脆 · cuì

crisp, brittle, fragile;

(of food) crunchy;

(of voice) clear and sharp;

straightforward, frank

crisp, brittle, fragile(of food) crunchy(of voice) clear and sharp

Usage highlights

crispy and deliciousclear and melodiousbrittle and fragilefragile and weakstraightforward and decisivecrisp and refreshing

Synonyms

  • 酥— crispy, flaky (usually for baked goods)
  • 易碎— easily broken, fragile
  • 爽快— straightforward, frank

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The potato chips are very crispy (脆脆的).
  • She has a clear and crisp singing voice (清脆的嗓音).
  • The glass is fragile and breaks easily (脆弱易碎).
  • He gave a straightforward answer (干脆的回答).

Collocations

  • crispy and delicious(香脆)
  • clear and melodious(清脆)
  • brittle and fragile(脆脆的)
  • fragile and weak(脆弱)
  • straightforward and decisive(干脆)
  • crisp and refreshing(爽脆)

Idioms

  • Crisp and delicious, fragrant and sweet(又脆又香)
  • Clear voice and round speech(嗓音清脆)
  • Straightforward and neat(干脆利落)
  • As fragile as glass(脆弱如玻璃)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese cuisine, 'crispness' (脆) is a highly valued texture, especially in snacks and appetizers.
  • The character conveys positive qualities when describing personality - straightforwardness and decisiveness.
  • In traditional Chinese medicine, overly 'brittle' or 'fragile' constitution may indicate health imbalances.

FAQ