盐 (yán) — salt

盐 (yán)

盐 means salt. It refers to the common mineral used in cooking and food seasoning, as well as in broader chemical contexts meaning salts.

Meanings

1. [noun] Salt; table salt; sodium chloride.

Example Sentences

这道菜放的盐太多了。 Zhè dào cài fàng de yán tài duō le. This dish has too much salt in it.

做汤的时候要加一点儿盐。 Zuò tāng de shíhou yào jiā yīdiǎnr yán. When making soup you need to add a little salt.

医生说他吃的盐太多，要少吃。 Yīshēng shuō tā chī de yán tài duō, yào shǎo chī. The doctor said he eats too much salt and should eat less.

请把盐递给我。 Qǐng bǎ yán dì gěi wǒ. Please pass the salt to me.

Collocations

Memory Hook

The character 盐 has 皿 (a vessel) at the bottom, like a dish of salt on the table. Salt was historically so valuable it was kept in dedicated containers. Think of a salt dish waiting to be passed around the dinner table.