Chinese word

胃口

Pronunciation

Pinyinwèi kǒu

Meaning

  • nounappetite

Example

我今天没有胃口。wǒ jīn tiān méi yǒu wèi kǒu

I don't have an appetite today.

Illustration for 胃口 (appetite)

More examples

这道菜的香味刺激了他的胃口。zhè dào cài de xiāng wèi cì jī le tā de wèi kǒu

The aroma of this dish stimulated his appetite.

Core concept

An inner pull toward eating that can extend to a liking for other things.

Common phrases

  • 没有胃口méi yǒu wèi kǒu

    have no appetite

  • 胃口不好wèi kǒu bù hǎo

    have a poor appetite

  • 刺激胃口cì jī wèi kǒu

    stimulate appetite

Similar words

食欲shí yù: A person's wish to eat.
食量shí liàng: How much food a person can eat at once or as part of a usual meal.

Definition in Chinese

指人体想吃东西的生理或心理欲望，有时也可借指对某事物的兴趣或偏好。zhǐ rén tǐ xiǎng chī dōng xī de shēng lǐ huò xīn lǐ yù wàng yǒu shí yě kě jiè zhǐ duì mǒu shì wù de xìng qù huò piān hào

Word origin

胃口 (wèikǒu, "appetite") is formed from 胃 (wèi, "stomach") + 口 (kǒu, "mouth"), a concrete pairing that develops from the physical desire to eat to a broader sense of attraction or preference.

Usage tips

  • Food context usually gives the literal reading, while an object introduced by 对 (duì, "toward") can shift the word toward interest or liking, even when no food is involved.

Opposites

  • 食欲不振shí yù bú zhènpoor appetitenoun
  • 厌食症yàn shí zhènganorexianoun

Related words

  • 胃口大开wèi kǒu dà kāihave a hearty appetiteidiom

Word lists with this word