Chinese word

生

Pronunciation

Pinyinshēng

Meaning

  • adjectiveraw

Example

这鱼是生的。zhè yú shì shēng de

This fish is raw.

Illustration for 生 (raw)

More examples

这碗面还很生，要再煮一会儿。zhè wǎn miàn hái hěn shēng yào zài zhǔ yí huìr

This bowl of noodles is still raw, so cook it a little longer.

Core concept

New life or a thing in its first, unchanged state, before later cooking, processing, or development changes it.

Common phrases

  • 生肉shēng ròu

    raw meat

  • 生鸡蛋shēng jī dàn

    raw egg

  • 生牛排shēng niú pái

    rare steak

Similar words

熟shú: Heated or prepared until fully cooked and safe to eat.

Definition in Chinese

指未经过烹饪或熟制、保持原始质地和风味的状态，常用于食物，也可用于未经过处理或未熟透的事物。zhǐ wèi jīng guò pēng rèn huò shú zhì bǎo chí yuán shǐ zhì dì hé fēng wèi de zhuàng tài cháng yòng yú shí wù yě kě yòng yú wèi jīng guò chú lǐ huò wèi shú tòu de shì wù

Word origin

The character 生 (shēng, "to be born; raw") pictures a new shoot emerging from the ground, linking birth and growth with things that remain in an early, uncooked, or untreated state.

Usage tips

  • English speakers often use fresh for food that is newly bought, but this word focuses on whether food has been cooked; fresh food can still be cooked.

Other meanings

  • give birthverb
  • be bornverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word