甜 (tián)

甜 describes a sweet taste, like that of sugar, honey, or ripe fruit. It is also used figuratively to describe pleasant or happy feelings, such as a "sweet smile" or "sweet words."

Meanings

adjective sweet (having a pleasant sugary taste; also pleasant or happy in a figurative sense)

Example Sentences

这个西瓜很甜。 Zhège xīguā hěn tián. This watermelon is very sweet.

她笑得很甜。 Tā xiào de hěn tián. She has a sweet smile.

这杯茶有点甜，但我喜欢。 Zhè bēi chá yǒudiǎn tián, dàn wǒ xǐhuān. This cup of tea is a bit sweet, but I like it.

他的话听起来很甜，让我感到高兴。 Tā de huà tīng qǐlái hěn tián, ràng wǒ gǎndào gāoxìng. His words sounded sweet and made me happy.

Collocations

Collocation	Meaning
甜味 (tián wèi)	sweet flavor
甜蜜 (tiánmì)	sweet (often of relationships)
甜食 (tián shí)	sweet food, dessert
甜言蜜语 (tián yán mì yǔ)	sweet talk, honeyed words

Usage Notes

甜 is one of the five basic tastes in Chinese cuisine alongside 咸 (xián, salty), 酸 (suān, sour), 苦 (kǔ, bitter), and 辣 (là, spicy). Figuratively, 甜 carries warmth and happiness, often used to describe loving words or relationships.

Memory Hook

The character 甜 contains 甘 (gān, sweet/pleasant) on the left and 舌 (shé, tongue) on the right — what the tongue perceives as pleasant and sweet.