xīngwèi: 腥味 - Fishy/Gamey Smell or Taste

• Keywords: xingwei meaning, xingwei Chinese, 腥味, Chinese fishy smell, gamey taste, what is xingwei, how to remove xingwei, Chinese cooking, culinary terms, food smell
• Summary: In Chinese, 腥味 (xīngwèi) refers to the unpleasant raw, “fishy,” or “gamey” smell and taste inherent in seafood, meat, and sometimes eggs. Understanding xīngwèi is crucial for appreciating Chinese culinary philosophy, as a primary goal of many recipes is to neutralize this specific odor using ingredients like ginger, scallions, and cooking wine to achieve a clean, balanced flavor.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): xīng wèi
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: N/A
• Concise Definition: The unpleasant, raw smell or taste of fish, meat, or seafood.
• In a Nutshell: `腥味` is a specific sensory term for the unwanted “off” smell that comes from raw animal products. It's not just “fishy” or “gamey”—it's a broader concept for that raw, slightly bloody, or overly strong animal odor. A key mark of a good Chinese chef is their ability to completely eliminate the `腥味` from a dish, a process known as `去腥 (qù xīng)`. The presence of `腥味` in a finished dish often implies the ingredients weren't fresh or were prepared improperly.

• 腥 (xīng): This character is composed of the “meat” radical `月` (a variant of `肉`) on the left and `星 (xīng)` for the phonetic sound on the right. The radical directly links this character's meaning to meat or flesh. It inherently means “raw meat” or the smell associated with it.
• 味 (wèi): This character combines the “mouth” radical `口` with `未 (wèi)`, which provides the sound. `味` means taste, flavor, or smell.
• Together, 腥味 (xīngwèi) literally translates to “raw meat taste/smell,” a perfect description of its meaning.

In Chinese culinary culture, balance and the purity of primary flavors are paramount. The concept of 腥味 (xīngwèi) is a direct antagonist to this ideal. Its presence is seen as a disruptive, unpleasant element that masks the natural, desirable flavors of the ingredients. A useful comparison is the Western concept of “gamey.” In some Western cuisines, a certain level of gaminess in meats like venison, lamb, or duck is considered a desirable and complex flavor profile. However, in traditional Chinese cooking, this same strong flavor, whether from lamb (`膻味 shānwèi`, a type of `腥味`) or fish, is almost universally targeted for removal. This cultural preference highlights a core value in Chinese food philosophy: transforming ingredients to achieve harmony. The extensive use of aromatics like ginger (姜 jiāng), scallions (葱 cōng), and Shaoxing wine (料酒 liàojiǔ) isn't just for adding flavor, but for a crucial subtractive process: neutralizing the `腥味`. A dish that is clean-tasting (`清爽 qīngshuǎng`) and free of `腥味` is considered a sign of a skilled chef and high-quality, fresh ingredients.

`腥味` is a common and practical term used in daily life, especially in contexts related to food and cooking.

• At the Market: When buying fish or meat, a person might smell the product and comment on its `腥味` to judge its freshness. A strong `腥味` is a bad sign.
• In the Kitchen: During food preparation, people constantly talk about `去腥 (qù xīng)`—the act of removing the `腥味`. This is a standard step in many meat and fish recipes, often involving marinating with ginger, scallions, and cooking wine, or blanching the meat briefly in boiling water.
• At the Dinner Table: If a fish or meat dish is served and it still has that unpleasant raw taste, a diner might quietly comment, “这个鱼有点腥味” (This fish has a bit of a fishy taste), which is a gentle criticism of the dish's preparation.

The connotation of `腥味` is almost exclusively negative. It's a flaw to be corrected, not a flavor to be savored.

• Example 1:
  • 这条鱼非常新鲜，一点腥味都没有。
  • Pinyin: Zhè tiáo yú fēicháng xīnxiān, yīdiǎn xīngwèi dōu méiyǒu.
  • English: This fish is very fresh; it doesn't have any fishy smell/taste at all.
  • Analysis: This is a high compliment, directly linking the absence of `腥味` with freshness.
• Example 2:
  • 做鱼之前，要用姜和料酒来去腥味。
  • Pinyin: Zuò yú zhīqián, yào yòng jiāng hé liàojiǔ lái qù xīngwèi.
  • English: Before cooking fish, you need to use ginger and cooking wine to remove the fishy smell.
  • Analysis: This is a typical cooking instruction, demonstrating the active process of `去腥 (qù xīng)`.
• Example 3:
  • 我不喜欢羊肉，因为受不了那个腥味。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bù xǐhuān yángròu, yīnwèi shòubuliǎo nàge xīngwèi.
  • English: I don't like lamb/mutton because I can't stand that gamey taste.
  • Analysis: Here, `腥味` is used for a non-seafood meat. In this context, it's interchangeable with the more specific term `膻味 (shānwèi)`.
• Example 4:
  • 你闻，空气里有一股海鲜的腥味。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ wén, kōngqì lǐ yǒu yī gǔ hǎixiān de xīngwèi.
  • English: Smell that? There's a fishy/seafood smell in the air.
  • Analysis: Used to describe the ambient smell of a place, like a fish market or a seaside dock.
• Example 5:
  • 这个鸡蛋羹怎么有点腥味？是不是鸡蛋不新鲜了？
  • Pinyin: Zhège jīdàn gēng zěnme yǒudiǎn xīngwèi? Shì bùshì jīdàn bù xīnxiān le?
  • English: How come this steamed egg custard has a bit of a raw taste? Are the eggs not fresh?
  • Analysis: Shows that `腥味` can even apply to eggs if they are not fresh or are prepared in a way that highlights their “raw” flavor.
• Example 6:
  • 他处理得很好，肉汤清澈，毫无腥味。
  • Pinyin: Tā chǔlǐ de hěn hǎo, ròutāng qīngchè, háo wú xīngwèi.
  • English: He prepared it very well; the broth is clear and has absolutely no gamey taste.
  • Analysis: `毫无腥味` (háo wú xīngwèi) is a common phrase meaning “completely without `xīngwèi`,” used to praise a chef's skill.
• Example 7:
  • 刚宰杀的鸡肉如果处理不当，也会有腥味。
  • Pinyin: Gāng zǎishā de jīròu rúguǒ chǔlǐ bùdàng, yě huì yǒu xīngwèi.
  • English: If freshly butchered chicken isn't handled properly, it can also have a raw/gamey smell.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates the term's application to poultry.
• Example 8:
  • 很多外国人不习惯这种腥味，但我们从小就习惯了。
  • Pinyin: Hěnduō wàiguó rén bù xíguàn zhè zhǒng xīngwèi, dàn wǒmen cóngxiǎo jiù xíguàn le.
  • English: Many foreigners aren't used to this kind of gamey/fishy smell, but we've been used to it since we were young.
  • Analysis: A sentence acknowledging the cultural difference in perceiving these smells, perhaps when discussing something like blood tofu or certain offal.
• Example 9:
  • 为了盖住腥味，她放了很多大料和花椒。
  • Pinyin: Wèile gàizhù xīngwèi, tā fàngle hěnduō dàliào hé huājiāo.
  • English: In order to cover up the gamey smell, she added a lot of star anise and Sichuan peppercorns.
  • Analysis: Shows another method of dealing with `腥味`—overpowering it with strong spices.
• Example 10:
  • 我一走进菜市场，各种腥味扑面而来。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ yī zǒu jìn cài shìchǎng, gè zhǒng xīngwèi pūmiàn'érlái.
  • English: As soon as I walked into the wet market, all kinds of fishy and meaty smells hit me in the face.
  • Analysis: `扑面而来` (pūmiàn'érlái) is a vivid idiom for a smell rushing towards you. This paints a very clear picture of a typical Asian wet market.

• False Friend: “Fishy” vs. 腥味 (xīngwèi):

The most common mistake for English speakers is to think `腥味` only means “fishy.” While it includes the smell of fish, it's much broader. It can refer to lamb, goat, raw pork, chicken, and even duck blood or offal. The English word “gamey” is closer for non-fish meats, but `腥味` is a single, convenient category for all of them.

• Literal, Not Metaphorical:

In English, “something smells fishy” means something is suspicious. `腥味` is never used this way. It is a purely literal term for a physical smell or taste. To express suspicion in Chinese, you would say something like `这件事有点可疑 (zhè jiàn shì yǒudiǎn kěyí)` or `我觉得不对劲 (wǒ juédé bùduìjìn)`.

• Distinguish from 血腥 (xuèxīng):

While they share the character `腥`, the word `血腥 (xuèxīng)` means “bloody” or “gory.” It's used to describe a crime scene, a violent movie, or the smell of blood itself, not the culinary taste of meat. Using `血腥` to describe your food would be very strange and alarming!

• 去腥 (qù xīng) - A verb phrase meaning “to remove the `xīng` smell,” a fundamental step in Chinese cooking.
• 膻味 (shān wèi) - A more specific term for the strong, gamey smell/taste of lamb and mutton. It is a type of `腥味`.
• 土腥味 (tǔxīng wèi) - The earthy smell, like that of soil after rain. It can also describe an earthy or “muddy” taste in freshwater fish or root vegetables.
• 味道 (wèidào) - The general word for “flavor,” “taste,” or “smell.” `腥味` is one specific type of `味道`.
• 气味 (qìwèi) - The general word for “odor” or “smell.” More neutral than `味道`.
• 血腥 (xuèxīng) - Bloody, gory. Shares a character but has a completely different and more intense meaning.
• 新鲜 (xīnxiān) - Fresh. The best way to avoid strong `腥味` is to use fresh ingredients.
• 料酒 (liàojiǔ) - Cooking wine. A primary ingredient used to `去腥` (remove the `xīngwèi`).
• 姜 (jiāng) - Ginger. The most common aromatic used to neutralize `腥味`.
• 葱 (cōng) - Scallion/Green Onion. Often used together with ginger to combat `腥味`.