B1 adjective Neutral 1 min read

芳香

fangxiang /fāŋ ɕiāŋ/
Practice it

Fangxiang describes delightful natural fragrances that evoke a sense of elegance and pleasure.

Word in 30 Seconds

  • Refers to pleasant, sweet-smelling scents from flowers or food.
  • Commonly used in both descriptive literature and daily formal contexts.
  • Carries a positive connotation of freshness and natural beauty.

Overview

  1. 1概述：‘芳香’是一个典型的褒义词，由‘芳’（花草的香气）和‘香’（气味好闻）组成。它主要用于书面语或正式的口语中，描述那些自然、清新且吸引人的气味。2) 用法特点：作为形容词，它常用来修饰名词，如‘芳香的花朵’；也可以作为名词使用，表示‘香气’本身，如‘散发着阵阵芳香’。3) 常见语境：最常用于自然景观（如花园、森林）、饮食文化（如清茶、糕点）以及化妆品或香料的描述。在文学作品中，它也常被用来比喻美好的名声或德行。4) 近义词辨析：‘芳香’与‘芬芳’非常接近，但‘芬芳’更具文学色彩，常用于诗歌；‘馥郁’则形容香气极其浓郁；而‘香’是最基础的词，涵盖范围最广，包括日常生活中所有的好气味。

Examples

1

茉莉花散发出阵阵芳香。

everyday

The jasmine flowers give off a burst of fragrance.

2

这种名贵的香料具有持久的芳香。

formal

This precious spice has a long-lasting fragrance.

3

打开盖子，一股酒的芳香扑鼻而来。

informal

Opening the lid, the aroma of the wine wafted to the nose.

4

植物通过分泌芳香物质来吸引昆虫传粉。

academic

Plants attract insects for pollination by secreting aromatic substances.

Common Collocations

芳香扑鼻 a refreshing fragrance strikes the nose
散发芳香 to emit a fragrance
芳香植物 aromatic plants

Common Phrases

芳香疗法

Aromatherapy

芳香烃

Aromatic hydrocarbon (Chemistry)

Often Confused With

芳香 vs 芬芳

'Fenfang' is more poetic and literary, often used as a noun or adjective in songs and poems.

芳香 vs 气味

'Qiwei' is a neutral word meaning 'smell' or 'odor', which can be either good or bad.

Grammar Patterns

芳香的 + [名词] [名词] + 散发着 + 芳香 一股 + 芳香

How to Use It

Usage Notes

The word is neutral to formal in register. It is frequently used in descriptive writing to create a sensory experience for the reader. In daily conversation, it is slightly more sophisticated than just saying 'xiang' (香).

Common Mistakes

Do not use 'Fangxiang' to describe a smell that is pungent or unpleasant. Also, avoid using it for people's personalities unless you are using it metaphorically in high literature.

Tips

💡

Use for Natural and Pleasant Scents

Stick to using 'Fangxiang' when describing flowers, tea, or high-quality perfumes to sound more sophisticated.

⚠️

Avoid Using for Synthetic Chemical Smells

While it means fragrant, it's rarely used for strong cleaning agents or pungent artificial smells.

🌍

Symbolism of Virtue in Literature

In traditional Chinese culture, fragrant plants often symbolize a person's moral integrity and noble character.

Word Origin

'Fang' (芳) originally referred to fragrant herbs, while 'Xiang' (香) depicted the smell of harvested grain or millet. Together, they represent the best scents of nature.

Cultural Context

In Chinese culture, 'Fang' is a common character in female names, representing beauty and grace. Fragrance is often linked to the 'Junzi' (gentleman) who remains pure and 'fragrant' despite a corrupt environment.

Memory Tip

The character '芳' (fāng) has the grass radical (艹) on top, suggesting it comes from plants. Imagine a field of grass and flowers sending their scent in all 'directions' (方 - fāng).

Frequently Asked Questions

4 questions

‘香’是基础词，口语化且范围广；‘芳香’更正式，多指植物或自然的香气，带有优美的色彩。

通常不直接形容人的长相，但可以形容人身上散发出的香气，或者在文学中比喻人的高尚品德。

在化学中，‘芳香族化合物’（Aromatic compounds）是一个专门术语，指具有特定环状结构的化合物。

是的，它百分之百是褒义词，绝对不会用来形容难闻的气味。

Test Yourself

fill blank

清晨，公园里到处弥漫着花草的___。

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: a

‘芳香’最适合形容公园里花草散发出的好闻气味。

multiple choice

选择不合适的搭配：

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: c

垃圾通常是难闻的，不能用褒义词‘芳香’来形容。

sentence building

散发着 / 泥土的 / 细雨过后 / 芳香 / 草地

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: a

‘细雨过后’是时间状语，‘草地’是主语，‘散发着’是谓语，‘泥土的芳香’是宾语。

Score: /3

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