seng1 mei6腥味
Jyutpingseng1 mei6
Yalesēng meih
Definition
The fishy smell or taste of seafood, raw meat, or blood.
colloquialfooddescriptions
How it's used
Refers specifically to the distinct, pungent odor associated with raw seafood or blood. While it describes a smell, it is often used as a predicate adjective to describe the state of an object, such as a kitchen utensil or one's hands after cooking. It carries a negative connotation, implying the smell is unpleasant or unwanted.
Examples
This fish has a strong fishy smell, have you washed it clean yet?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe general bad smells like garbage or body odor, as those require different descriptors like 臭. It is strictly reserved for the specific scent profile of aquatic life or raw meat.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
