葷 (hūn) - Meat or strong-smelling vegetables (like garlic, onions) & refers to non-vegetarian food or pungent ingredients in

葷Tone 1

hūn ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

慧佳

葷 · hūn

Meat or strong-smelling vegetables (like garlic, onions);

refers to non-vegetarian food or pungent ingredients in Chinese cuisine.

Meat or strong-smelling vegetables (like garlic, onions)refers to non-vegetarian food or pungent ingredients in

Usage highlights

meyvegetarian and nonstrongmeat and fishabstain from meatmeat platter

Synonyms

  • 肉— meat, flesh
  • 腥— raw meat, fishy smell

Antonyms

  • 素— vegetarian, plain
  • 齋— vegetarian food (especially in Buddhist context)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He doesn't eat meat (不吃葷).
  • This dish contains garlic and other strong vegetables (五葷).
  • The restaurant serves both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options (葷素皆有).
  • Buddhist monks typically avoid meat (戒葷).

Collocations

  • mey(葷菜)
  • vegetarian and non-vegetarian(葷素)
  • strong-smelling vegetables(五葷)
  • meat and fish(葷腥)
  • abstain from meat(戒葷)
  • meat platter(葷盤)

Idioms

  • Both meat and vegetarian dishes(葷素俱全)
  • Opening meat - having meat after abstinence(開葷)
  • No distinction between meat and vegetarian(不葷不素)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese Buddhism and Taoism, '葷' refers to both meat and pungent vegetables (garlic, onions, etc.) that are avoided by practitioners.
  • The concept of '葷素' (meat and vegetarian) is fundamental in Chinese dietary culture and religious practices.
  • Traditionally, '開葷' means to resume eating meat after a period of abstinence, often for ceremonial purposes.

FAQ