When you want to say something is delicious in Chinese, you have a few options. A great one to add to your vocabulary is 美味可口 (měiwèi kěkǒu).
You'll often hear native speakers use 美味可口 to describe food that is not just tasty, but truly delightful. It's a slightly more emphatic way to say 'delicious' than just using one word like '好吃' (hǎochī).
Think of it as saying 'delicious and appetizing' or 'scrumptious.' This phrase is commonly used in everyday conversation, especially when praising a meal.
It's a useful phrase for A2 learners because it helps you express appreciation for food in a more nuanced way, and you'll encounter it frequently when talking about dining experiences.
When we describe food that tastes good, you might hear people say it's 好吃 (hǎo chī). That's a good start, and it means delicious.
But Chinese has many ways to describe delicious food. To sound more natural and advanced, you can use the four-character idiom 美味可口 (měi wèi kě kǒu). It literally means 'beautiful taste, pleasing to the mouth.'
Use 美味可口 (měi wèi kě kǒu) for food that is truly delightful and satisfying.
§ Common Mistakes Using 美味可口 (měiwèikěkǒu)
Alright, so you've learned that 美味可口 (měiwèikěkǒu) means 'delicious and tasty.' That's great! But knowing the definition is only half the battle. To really sound natural, you need to understand how to avoid common pitfalls. Let's dive into the mistakes English speakers often make and how you can fix them.
§ Mistake 1: Overuse and Redundancy
The biggest mistake learners make is using 美味可口 when a simpler word would do, or worse, combining it with other words that already mean 'delicious.' Remember, 美味可口 is already a strong, descriptive phrase. It's like saying 'very delicious and very tasty' in English. While it's not grammatically wrong, it can sound a bit clunky and unnatural in everyday conversation.
For example, if you want to say 'This food is delicious,' simply saying 很好吃 (hěn hǎochī) is perfectly fine and often more natural. 美味可口 adds an extra layer of emphasis, suggesting something is not just delicious, but truly delightful to the palate.
这顿饭美味可口。(This meal is delicious and tasty.)
Here, it's used correctly to describe the entire meal as being exceptionally good. Now, consider this common mistake:
❌ 这菜真好吃，而且很美味可口。(This dish is really delicious, and it's also delicious and tasty.)
See the redundancy? '好吃' already covers 'delicious.' Adding 美味可口 on top of that just sounds repetitive. Instead, pick one or the other, or use 美味可口 by itself to give it that extra punch.
✅ 这菜真美味可口。(This dish is truly delicious and tasty.)
§ Mistake 2: Using It for Non-Food Items
This one might seem obvious, but it's a trap many fall into. 美味可口 is exclusively for describing food or drinks that taste good. You wouldn't use it to describe a beautiful painting, an interesting book, or a lovely piece of music. While those things can be 'delightful' in English, 美味可口 is specifically about the sensory experience of taste.
❌ 这本书真美味可口。(This book is truly delicious and tasty.)
Unless you're literally trying to eat the book (which we don't recommend!), this is incorrect. You'd use words like 有趣 (yǒuqù - interesting) or 精彩 (jīngcǎi - wonderful, brilliant) for a book.
✅ 这本书很有趣。(This book is very interesting.)
§ Mistake 3: Forgetting Its Adjective Nature
美味可口 is an adjective. This means it describes a noun. It doesn't act as a verb or an adverb. While this might seem basic, sometimes learners get creative and try to use it in ways that don't fit its grammatical role.
- DEFINITION
- An adjective modifies a noun or a pronoun. It answers questions like 'Which one?' 'What kind?' or 'How many?'
So, you'd say 'delicious food' (美味可口的食物) or 'the food is delicious' (食物美味可口). You wouldn't use it to describe an action, like 'eat deliciously.'
❌ 他美味可口地吃。(He eats deliciously and tastily.)
This sentence structure is incorrect for 美味可口. If you want to describe how someone eats, you'd use an adverb like 津津有味地 (jīnjīnyǒuwèi de - with great relish, with keen pleasure).
✅ 他津津有味地吃。(He eats with great relish.)
§ Summary of Key Takeaways
Don't overuse 美味可口; sometimes simple 很好吃 is enough.
Avoid redundancy by not pairing it with other 'delicious' words unnecessarily.
Only use 美味可口 for food and drink items.
Remember it's an adjective and should modify nouns, not actions.
By keeping these points in mind, you'll use 美味可口 much more accurately and sound more like a native speaker. Practice makes perfect, so keep listening to how native speakers use it and try incorporating it naturally into your own conversations!
Examples by Level
这杯茶美味可口。
This cup of tea is delicious and tasty.
这个苹果美味可口。
This apple is delicious and tasty.
这碗面美味可口。
This bowl of noodles is delicious and tasty.
这块蛋糕美味可口。
This piece of cake is delicious and tasty.
这个水果美味可口。
This fruit is delicious and tasty.
这个面包美味可口。
This bread is delicious and tasty.
这道菜美味可口。
This dish is delicious and tasty.
这个点心美味可口。
This snack is delicious and tasty.
How to Use It
Use 美味可口 to describe food that is not only delicious but also pleasing to the palate, often with a good texture or aroma. It's a slightly more formal and emphatic way to say 'delicious' compared to just '好吃'. It can be used for a wide range of foods, from a simple dish to a gourmet meal. Think of it as a step up from 'tasty' to 'mouth-watering'.
A common mistake is overusing 美味可口 for every instance of food being delicious. While it means 'delicious', it carries a connotation of being particularly savory or well-prepared. For everyday, casual deliciousness, 好吃 (hǎo chī) is usually sufficient. Only use 美味可口 when you really want to emphasize the high quality and delightful taste experience. Another mistake is using it for non-food items; it strictly applies to edibles.
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsThat's a great question! So, 美味 (měiwèi) and 好吃 (hǎochī) both mean 'delicious.' 美味 is a bit more formal and often used in writing or when describing high-quality food. 好吃 is more casual and common in everyday conversation. 美味可口 (měiwèi kěkǒu) is actually a combination that emphasizes the deliciousness. Think of it as saying 'delicious and palatable' or 'delicious and very pleasing to the mouth.' It's a stronger, more descriptive way to say something tastes really, really good. It paints a more vivid picture than just 美味 or 好吃 alone.
No, you can't. 美味可口 (měiwèi kěkǒu) is specifically used for food or drink. It means 'delicious' or 'tasty' in the sense of something you consume with your mouth. If you want to describe a beautiful song, you'd use words like 好听 (hǎotīng - sounds good) or 美妙 (měimiào - wonderful). For a pleasant smell, you'd use 好闻 (hǎowén - smells good) or 香 (xiāng - fragrant).
It's quite common, actually! While it's slightly more descriptive than just 好吃, it's not overly formal to the point where you wouldn't hear it in everyday conversation. You'll often see it used in restaurant reviews, food blogs, and even in casual settings when someone wants to really express how much they enjoyed a meal. So, feel free to use it!
Absolutely not! 美味可口 (měiwèi kěkǒu) is solely for food and drink. It means 'delicious' or 'tasty.' Using it for a person or animal would sound very strange and might even be interpreted as morbid or inappropriate. Always remember it's for things you eat.
Here are a few:
1. 这道菜美味可口，我非常喜欢。 (Zhè dào cài měiwèi kěkǒu, wǒ fēicháng xǐhuān.) This dish is delicious and tasty, I really like it.
2. 奶奶做的饭总是那么美味可口。 (Nǎinai zuò de fàn zǒng shì nàme měiwèi kěkǒu.) Grandma's cooking is always so delicious.
3. 这家餐厅的甜点真是美味可口！ (Zhè jiā cāntīng de tiándiǎn zhēn shì měiwèi kěkǒu!) The desserts at this restaurant are truly delicious!
Yes, you can! You can add adverbs like 非常 (fēicháng - very), 特别 (tèbié - especially), or 真 (zhēn - really/truly) in front of it. For example, 这道菜非常美味可口！ (Zhè dào cài fēicháng měiwèi kěkǒu!) means 'This dish is extremely delicious!'
Good question! In English, 'tasty' and 'delicious' are pretty interchangeable for most contexts. However, 美味可口 in Chinese carries a slightly stronger, more emphatic nuance than just a single 'delicious.' It implies that something is not only delicious but also very pleasing to the palate, often suggesting a well-prepared dish. So, you might use 美味可口 when you want to express a higher level of enjoyment or appreciation for the food.
The most common mistake is using it for non-food items, as we discussed. Another less common but still possible mistake is to overuse it or use it in situations where a simpler 好吃 would suffice. While it's a great phrase, remember to vary your vocabulary! It's like always saying 'scrumptious' instead of sometimes 'tasty' or 'delicious' in English. Use it when you really want to highlight the deliciousness.
Let's break it down:
美味 (měiwèi) means 'delicious' or 'fine taste.' It combines 美 (měi - beautiful, good) and 味 (wèi - taste, flavor).
可口 (kěkǒu) means 'tasty' or 'palatable.' It combines 可 (kě - can, able to, worth) and 口 (kǒu - mouth).
So, literally, it's something like 'beautiful taste and pleasing to the mouth.' This combination emphasizes both the good flavor and the pleasant sensation of eating it.
Yes, you can, but it might sound a bit more formal than a simple 好吃吗？ (hǎochī ma - Is it delicious?). If you want to ask 'Is this delicious and tasty?' you could say: 这个美味可口吗？ (Zhège měiwèi kěkǒu ma?) However, for a casual question about taste, 好吃吗？ is much more common. You'd typically use 美味可口 more in statements of praise or description.
Test Yourself 78 questions
This apple is really delicious!
Do you like to eat delicious and tasty meals?
This cup of tea tastes delicious.
Read this aloud:
我很喜欢美味可口的食物。
Focus: 美味可口 (měi wèi kě kǒu)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
这个蛋糕真是美味可口。
Focus: 蛋糕 (dàn gāo)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
这道菜看起来很美味可口。
Focus: 这道菜 (zhè dào cài)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Write a short sentence describing your favorite delicious food in Chinese. (Hint: Use '好吃 hǎo chī' which means 'delicious' at an A1 level)
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
我喜欢面条，因为面条很好吃。(Wǒ xǐhuān miàntiáo, yīnwèi miàntiáo hěn hǎochī. I like noodles because noodles are delicious.)
Imagine you are at a restaurant. Write a simple Chinese sentence to say the food is good. (Hint: You can use '这个菜很好吃 zhè ge cài hěn hǎo chī')
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
这个菜很好吃！(Zhè ge cài hěn hǎochī! This dish is very delicious!)
Write a sentence in Chinese about a drink you find delicious. (Hint: '这个茶很好喝 zhè ge chá hěn hǎo hē' means 'this tea is delicious')
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
这个咖啡很好喝。(Zhège kāfēi hěn hǎo hē. This coffee is very delicious.)
According to the conversation, what does B think about rice?
Read this passage:
A: 你喜欢吃什么？(Nǐ xǐhuān chī shénme? What do you like to eat?) B: 我喜欢吃米饭。(Wǒ xǐhuān chī mǐfàn. I like to eat rice.) A: 米饭好吃吗？(Mǐfàn hǎochī ma? Is rice delicious?) B: 米饭很好吃！(Mǐfàn hěn hǎochī! Rice is very delicious!)
According to the conversation, what does B think about rice?
B says '米饭很好吃！' which means 'Rice is very delicious!'
B says '米饭很好吃！' which means 'Rice is very delicious!'
What does the person like to eat the most?
Read this passage:
我的妈妈做饭很好吃。我最喜欢吃她做的面条。每天回家，我都期待吃妈妈做的美味面条。(Wǒ de māma zuò fàn hěn hǎo chī. Wǒ zuì xǐhuān chī tā zuò de miàntiáo. Měi tiān huí jiā, wǒ dōu qīdài chī māma zuò de měiwèi miàntiáo. My mother cooks delicious food. I like her noodles the most. Every day when I go home, I look forward to eating the delicious noodles my mother makes.)
What does the person like to eat the most?
The passage states '我最喜欢吃她做的面条' (Wǒ zuì xǐhuān chī tā zuò de miàntiáo) which means 'I like her noodles the most.'
The passage states '我最喜欢吃她做的面条' (Wǒ zuì xǐhuān chī tā zuò de miàntiáo) which means 'I like her noodles the most.'
What did the person think about the fish they ordered?
Read this passage:
今天我去了一个新饭店。那里的菜很好，但是有点儿贵。我点了一个鱼，非常好吃。(Jīntiān wǒ qù le yí ge xīn fàndiàn. Nàlǐ de cài hěn hǎo, dànshì yǒudiǎnr guì. Wǒ diǎn le yí ge yú, fēicháng hǎo chī. Today I went to a new restaurant. The dishes there were good, but a bit expensive. I ordered a fish, it was very delicious.)
What did the person think about the fish they ordered?
The passage says '我点了一个鱼，非常好吃' (Wǒ diǎn le yí ge yú, fēicháng hǎo chī) which means 'I ordered a fish, it was very delicious.'
The passage says '我点了一个鱼，非常好吃' (Wǒ diǎn le yí ge yú, fēicháng hǎo chī) which means 'I ordered a fish, it was very delicious.'
This means 'This is delicious.' The basic word order in Chinese is Subject + Adverb + Adjective.
This translates to 'Dumplings are delicious.' '是' (shì) acts as 'is/are' and '的' (de) is used to describe nouns.
This means 'The dish is very tasty.' '很' (hěn) means 'very' and often precedes adjectives.
这道菜尝起来很___。(Zhè dào cài cháng qǐlái hěn ___.)
The sentence means 'This dish tastes very ___.' '美味可口' means delicious and tasty, which fits the context.
妈妈做的饭总是那么___。(Māmā zuò de fàn zǒng shì nàme ___.)
The sentence means 'The food mom cooks is always so ___.' '美味可口' means delicious and tasty, making it the best fit.
这家餐厅的饺子很___。(Zhè jiā cāntīng de jiǎozi hěn ___.)
The sentence means 'This restaurant's dumplings are very ___.' '美味可口' means delicious and tasty, which suits the context of food.
这个苹果又红又大，看起来很___。(Zhège píngguǒ yòu hóng yòu dà, kàn qǐlái hěn ___.)
The sentence means 'This apple is red and big, it looks very ___.' '美味可口' means delicious and tasty, describing its appetizing appearance.
我最喜欢吃这个蛋糕，因为它非常___。(Wǒ zuì xǐhuān chī zhège dàngāo, yīnwèi tā fēicháng ___.)
The sentence means 'I like eating this cake the most, because it's very ___.' '美味可口' means delicious and tasty, fitting the reason for liking a cake.
今天做的鱼汤特别___。(Jīntiān zuò de yú tāng tèbié ___.)
The sentence means 'The fish soup made today is especially ___.' '美味可口' means delicious and tasty, describing the quality of the soup.
This dish is very delicious and tasty.
These dumplings are really delicious!
We had a delicious and tasty dinner.
Describe your favorite delicious meal using "美味可口".
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
我最喜欢的一顿饭是妈妈做的红烧肉，真是美味可口！
Write a short message to a friend inviting them to try a dish you think is "美味可口".
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
你好！我最近发现一家新开的餐馆，他们的饺子特别美味可口，我们找时间一起去尝尝吧！
Imagine you are reviewing a new dessert. Use "美味可口" in your review.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
这款新出的巧克力蛋糕真是美味可口，甜而不腻，强烈推荐！
根据短文，作者对这家餐馆的面食有什么评价？
Read this passage:
今天我在一家小餐馆吃了一碗面。面条很劲道，汤的味道也很鲜美。虽然是第一次来，但我觉得这里的面食非常美味可口，下次还会再来。
根据短文，作者对这家餐馆的面食有什么评价？
文章中明确提到“这里的面食非常美味可口”。
文章中明确提到“这里的面食非常美味可口”。
家人对奶奶做的饭菜的评价是什么？
Read this passage:
春节的时候，奶奶做了很多传统的年夜饭。有红烧鱼，饺子，还有各种炒菜。全家人围坐在一起，吃得津津有味，大家都说奶奶做的饭菜美味可口。
家人对奶奶做的饭菜的评价是什么？
文章中写道“大家都说奶奶做的饭菜美味可口”。
文章中写道“大家都说奶奶做的饭菜美味可口”。
根据短文，什么食物是作者觉得美味可口的？
Read this passage:
这个周末，我和朋友们去野餐。我们带了三明治、水果和一些小零食。大家分享着各自带来的食物，享受着阳光。我觉得朋友做的柠檬蛋糕特别美味可口。
根据短文，什么食物是作者觉得美味可口的？
文章中提到“我觉得朋友做的柠檬蛋糕特别美味可口”。
文章中提到“我觉得朋友做的柠檬蛋糕特别美味可口”。
This sentence describes how delicious the dishes at a restaurant are. The correct order emphasizes 'this restaurant's dishes' followed by the adjective 'truly delicious'.
This sentence expresses that the dumplings made by mom are always delicious. The structure starts with the subject 'Mom's dumplings' and then uses 'always so delicious' to describe them.
This sentence invites someone to taste a cake and discover its deliciousness. The order guides the listener from 'taste this cake' to 'you will discover how delicious it is'.
朋友们都说这家新开的餐厅菜品非常____。
The sentence describes new restaurant dishes positively, so 'delicious and tasty' fits best.
经过一天的徒步旅行，这碗热腾腾的面条对我来说简直是____。
After a long hike, a hot bowl of noodles would be very 'delicious and tasty'.
她做的蛋糕总是那么____，每次都能让大家赞不绝口。
If everyone praises her cakes, they must be 'delicious and tasty'.
如果一道菜“美味可口”，意味着它非常难吃。
“美味可口” means delicious and tasty, the opposite of difficult to eat.
这道菜尝起来“美味可口”，所以我一点都不想再吃。
If something is 'delicious and tasty', you would want to eat more, not less.
形容食物“美味可口”通常是表达对其味道的赞扬。
“美味可口” is a positive adjective used to praise the taste of food.
The Peking duck at this restaurant is truly delicious and tasty.
Mom's braised pork is always so delicious and tasty, leaving people with an endless aftertaste.
Although this dish looks simple, its taste is very delicious and tasty.
Read this aloud:
这个水果沙拉非常美味可口。
Focus: 美味可口 (měiwèi kěkǒu)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
你尝尝这个汤，味道怎么样？我觉得很美味可口。
Focus: 美味可口 (měiwèi kěkǒu)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
他们家做的饺子，每次吃都觉得美味可口。
Focus: 美味可口 (měiwèi kěkǒu)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Focus on the overall meaning.
Listen for descriptive words.
Pay attention to the nuance of 'unexpectedly'.
Read this aloud:
这盘饺子真美味可口！
Focus: mei3 wei4 ke3 kou3
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
用'美味可口'形容你最喜欢的食物。
Focus: mei3 wei4 ke3 kou3
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
你觉得什么食物可以被称为'美味可口'？
Focus: mei3 wei4 ke3 kou3
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Proper sentence structure for describing food as delicious.
Structuring a sentence to indicate both appearance and taste are excellent.
Common phrasing for praising home-cooked food.
Choose the most appropriate synonym for "美味可口":
"美味可口" emphasizes the pleasant taste of food. "色香味俱全" (perfect in color, aroma, and taste) directly relates to the sensory qualities of delicious food. "美不胜收" means too beautiful to be adequately appreciated, "津津有味" describes eating with great relish, and "回味无穷" means endless aftertaste.
Which sentence uses "美味可口" incorrectly?
"美味可口" specifically describes food that tastes good. It cannot be used to describe speech or abstract concepts. The sentence implies that his words were persuasive, not that they tasted good.
When might you use "美味可口" to describe a drink?
"美味可口" can describe a drink if it has a pleasant and distinct taste, like a well-made coffee. It would not be used for bitter medicine, bland water, or tasteless alcohol.
You can use "美味可口" to describe a beautiful piece of music.
"美味可口" is used exclusively for food and drinks that are delicious and tasty. It cannot describe auditory experiences like music.
If someone says their meal was "美味可口", it means they enjoyed the taste very much.
The phrase "美味可口" directly translates to "delicious and tasty," indicating a strong positive evaluation of the food's flavor.
It is appropriate to use "美味可口" to describe a visually appealing dish that lacks flavor.
While a dish might be visually appealing, "美味可口" specifically refers to the taste and flavor. If it lacks flavor, it cannot be described as "美味可口" no matter how good it looks.
The speaker is praising the taste of Peking duck.
The speaker is surprised by the good taste of a simple-looking dish.
The speaker is talking about homemade food.
Read this aloud:
你尝尝这道菜，是不是美味可口？
Focus: mei3 wei4 ke3 kou3
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
我从来没吃过这么美味可口的饺子。
Focus: jiao3 zi
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
听说这家店的甜点美味可口，我们去试试看吧。
Focus: tian2 dian3
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
/ 78 correct
Perfect score!
Example
这顿饭真美味可口！
Related Content
More food words
一两
B1Fifty grams; a Chinese unit of weight (approx. 50g).
一斤
B1Half a kilogram; a Chinese unit of weight (approx. 500g).
一袋
B1A bag of.
少一点儿
A2A bit less.
多一点儿
A2A bit more.
一口
B1A mouthful; a bite; a small amount (of food or drink).
一瓶
B1A bottle of.
一碗
B1Measure word for a bowl of food.
一盒
B1A box of.
一杯
B1Measure word for a cup of liquid.
