When you're at a bubble tea shop or a dessert place in China, you might want to specify how sweet you like your order. That's where 微甜 (wēi tián) comes in handy.
微 (wēi) means 'slightly' or 'micro', and 甜 (tián) means 'sweet'. So, together, 微甜 means 'slightly sweet'.
It's a great phrase to know if you don't want something too sweet, but also not completely sugar-free. Just say 微甜 when you order!
When you're talking about taste, 微甜 (wēitián) is a really useful adjective. It literally translates to "slightly sweet" or "a little sweet."
You'll often hear it used to describe food or drinks that aren't overwhelmingly sugary, but still have a pleasant sweetness to them. Think about a dessert that's just sweet enough without being cloying, or a fruit that has a mild sweetness.
It's a common term in daily life, especially when discussing preferences for food and beverages. So, if you like things with just a hint of sweetness, 微甜 is the word you're looking for!
When talking about tastes in Chinese, you'll often encounter patterns like adding prefixes to basic taste adjectives. 微 (wēi) means 'slightly' or 'micro-'. So, when you combine it with 甜 (tián), meaning 'sweet', you get 微甜 (wēitián), which literally translates to 'slightly sweet'.
This is a common and practical way to describe something that isn't overpoweringly sweet but still has a pleasant sweetness to it. You might use it to describe a drink, a dessert, or even some fruits. Understanding this pattern helps you grasp how Chinese describes nuanced flavors, which is very useful in everyday conversations about food and drinks.
Tips
Literal Meaning Breakdown
The word 微甜 (wēi tián) literally breaks down into 微 (wēi) meaning 'micro' or 'slight', and 甜 (tián) meaning 'sweet'. So, it's very straightforward: slightly sweet.
Common Usage Context
You'll most often hear 微甜 used when talking about food and drinks. Think of a dessert that isn't overwhelmingly sugary, or a beverage that has just a hint of sweetness.
How to Describe Taste
When ordering a drink or dessert, you can use 微甜 to specify your preference. For example, '我想要微甜的咖啡' (wǒ xiǎng yào wēi tián de kā fēi) means 'I want slightly sweet coffee'.
Don't Confuse with 'Not Sweet'
微甜 means there is some sweetness, just not a lot. It's different from '不甜' (bù tián), which means 'not sweet' at all. Make sure to choose the right term!
Pairing with Nouns
You can place 微甜 before a noun to describe it. For instance, '微甜的蛋糕' (wēi tián de dàn gāo) means 'slightly sweet cake', and '微甜的酒' (wēi tián de jiǔ) means 'slightly sweet wine'.
Expressing Preference
If you generally prefer things less sweet, 微甜 is your go-to word. You can say '我喜欢微甜的口味' (wǒ xǐ huān wēi tián de kǒu wèi), meaning 'I like the slightly sweet taste'.
Sweetness Levels in China
Chinese palates often prefer less sugar than Western palates. What might be considered 'slightly sweet' in China could be 'moderately sweet' elsewhere. Keep this cultural difference in mind!
Opposite Term
The opposite of 微甜 would be '很甜' (hěn tián) meaning 'very sweet' or '巨甜' (jù tián) which means 'extremely sweet' (more colloquial).
Practicing Pronunciation
Pay attention to the tones: 微 (wēi) is a first tone, and 甜 (tián) is a second tone. Practice saying them together: wēi tián. The combination flows smoothly.
Using in Figurative Language
While primarily used for taste, you might occasionally hear 微甜 used metaphorically to describe something with a subtle, pleasant quality, though this is less common than its literal use. For example, a 'slightly sweet smile', indicating a gentle, warm smile.
Test Yourself 36 questions
Write a short sentence describing a drink that is slightly sweet.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
这个果汁微甜，很好喝。 (This juice is slightly sweet and very good to drink.)
Imagine you are describing a dessert to a friend. Write a simple sentence using '微甜'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
这个蛋糕微甜，我觉得很好吃。 (This cake is slightly sweet, I think it's very tasty.)
You are at a cafe. Describe a coffee that is slightly sweet.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
我喜欢喝微甜的咖啡。 (I like to drink slightly sweet coffee.)
What kind of tea does the person like?
Read this passage:
我喜欢喝茶，但是不喜欢太甜的。我喜欢微甜的茶。 (I like to drink tea, but I don't like it too sweet. I like slightly sweet tea.)
What kind of tea does the person like?
The passage states '我喜欢微甜的茶', meaning 'I like slightly sweet tea'.
The passage states '我喜欢微甜的茶', meaning 'I like slightly sweet tea'.
How is the ice cream described?
Read this passage:
这家店的冰淇淋很好吃，是微甜的。我的朋友也很喜欢。 (This shop's ice cream is very delicious, it's slightly sweet. My friend also likes it very much.)
How is the ice cream described?
The passage says '是微甜的', which translates to 'it's slightly sweet'.
The passage says '是微甜的', which translates to 'it's slightly sweet'.
What kind of food does Xiao Wang prefer?
Read this passage:
小王不喜欢吃很甜的东西。他觉得微甜的食物更好。 (Xiao Wang doesn't like to eat very sweet things. He thinks slightly sweet food is better.)
What kind of food does Xiao Wang prefer?
The text states '他觉得微甜的食物更好', meaning 'He thinks slightly sweet food is better'.
The text states '他觉得微甜的食物更好', meaning 'He thinks slightly sweet food is better'.
这瓶水有一点___。
The sentence indicates a slight sweetness. '微甜' fits this context perfectly.
我喜欢___的巧克力。
This sentence expresses a preference for a taste. '微甜' means 'slightly sweet', which is a common preference for chocolate.
这种果汁的味道是___的。
The sentence asks about the taste of the juice. '微甜' (slightly sweet) is a common taste for juice.
这个苹果吃起来___，很好吃。
The sentence describes the apple as delicious. An apple that is '微甜' (slightly sweet) is usually considered delicious.
她不爱吃很甜的，只喜欢___的。
The sentence states a preference for not too sweet things. '微甜' (slightly sweet) is the appropriate choice here.
这杯茶加了很少的糖，所以是___的。
Adding only a little sugar results in a '微甜' (slightly sweet) taste.
这款茶的味道___，很适合不喜欢太甜的人。
The sentence describes a tea that is suitable for people who don't like overly sweet things, so 'slightly sweet' (微甜) fits the context best.
这杯咖啡加了点牛奶，喝起来有种___的口感。
Adding a 'little' (点) milk to coffee would likely make it 'slightly sweet' (微甜), not fully sweet.
她喜欢吃___的蛋糕，不太喜欢太腻的。
The context implies she doesn't like very rich or cloying cakes, so 'slightly sweet' (微甜) is the appropriate choice.
这个水果吃起来汁多，味道___，非常开胃。
A fruit that is juicy and appetizing would likely be 'slightly sweet' (微甜), a pleasant taste.
这款饮料主打健康，所以味道比较___，没有额外添加糖。
If a healthy drink has no added sugar, it's likely to be 'slightly sweet' (微甜) from natural ingredients.
她做的沙拉里放了些水果，吃起来口感清爽，___。
Adding fruit to a salad for a refreshing taste usually results in a 'slightly sweet' (微甜) flavor.
这款冰淇淋尝起来有一点微甜，很适合不喜欢太甜口味的人。
“微甜”指的是味道上略带甜味，但不至于太浓烈。
她喜欢在咖啡里加一点糖，让味道变得微甜。
“微甜”形容一种淡淡的甜味，不是完全没有甜味，也不是很浓烈的甜。
很多水果都有微甜的味道，比如草莓和苹果。
水果的“微甜”通常指的是其天然的、不加糖的甜味，清爽不腻。
如果我说一个食物“微甜”，意思就是它非常甜，甜到发腻。
“微甜”是指略带甜味，不是非常甜或甜到发腻。
“微甜”可以用来形容饮料，也可以形容食物。
“微甜”可以广泛用于形容任何带有轻微甜味的食物或饮料。
不喜欢甜食的人，可能会喜欢“微甜”的口味。
“微甜”的口味通常不会太浓烈，所以即使不喜欢非常甜的食物，也可能接受。
这款茶饮带着一丝___，恰到好处，既不过甜也不失茶的本味。
句子描述了饮品不过甜，因此“微甜”是唯一符合语境的选项。
她的笑容总是那么___，让人感到温暖和愉悦。
形容笑容带来温暖和愉悦，与“微甜”的含义最为贴近。
那道菜的味道很独特，入口___，后味带着一点点辛辣。
根据后半句的“一点点辛辣”，前半句描述的是相对的甜味，所以“微甜”合适。
这款葡萄酒的口感___，果香浓郁，深受女性消费者喜爱。
“果香浓郁”且受女性喜爱，通常意味着口感偏甜，因此“微甜”符合。
虽然他经历了很多挫折，但对生活依然保持着一丝___的希望。
形容希望通常用积极的词语，即使是在挫折后，也应是积极的“微甜”希望。
这个季节的草莓___可口，是制作甜点的绝佳选择。
草莓常被形容为甜的，且是制作甜点的绝佳选择，所以“微甜”最合适。
The speaker is describing a drink.
The speaker is talking about a dessert.
The speaker is talking about how someone likes their coffee.
Read this aloud:
你觉得这款酒的微甜口感是否能更好地衬托出菜肴的鲜美？
Focus: 微甜
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
这种微甜的酱汁，通过与辛辣食材的巧妙搭配，达到了味觉上的平衡与升华。
Focus: 微甜
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
他尝试用新的配方制作蛋糕，希望能达到那种微甜而不失醇厚的独特风味。
Focus: 微甜
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
/ 36 correct
Perfect score!
Literal Meaning Breakdown
The word 微甜 (wēi tián) literally breaks down into 微 (wēi) meaning 'micro' or 'slight', and 甜 (tián) meaning 'sweet'. So, it's very straightforward: slightly sweet.
Common Usage Context
You'll most often hear 微甜 used when talking about food and drinks. Think of a dessert that isn't overwhelmingly sugary, or a beverage that has just a hint of sweetness.
How to Describe Taste
When ordering a drink or dessert, you can use 微甜 to specify your preference. For example, '我想要微甜的咖啡' (wǒ xiǎng yào wēi tián de kā fēi) means 'I want slightly sweet coffee'.
Don't Confuse with 'Not Sweet'
微甜 means there is some sweetness, just not a lot. It's different from '不甜' (bù tián), which means 'not sweet' at all. Make sure to choose the right term!
Example
我喜欢微甜的口感。
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.
