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    Chinese Grammar

    Expressing 'to smell' with 闻 (wén)

    Actions & Events
    Description & Modification

    Structure

    闻 + Object / 闻起来 + Adjective/像 + Noun

    Explanation

    The verb 闻 (wén) means 'to smell' or 'to sniff.' It is used both for the deliberate act of smelling something and for passively detecting a scent. In the pattern 闻起来, it means 'to smell like,' describing how something smells to the perceiver.

    Examples

    • 你闻闻这束花，特别香。

      Nǐ wénwen zhè shù huā, tèbié xiāng.

      Smell this bouquet of flowers — they're especially fragrant.

    • 我一进厨房就闻到了饭菜的香味。

      Wǒ yī jìn chúfáng jiù wén dào le fàncài de xiāngwèi.

      As soon as I walked into the kitchen, I smelled the aroma of the food.

    • 这杯咖啡闻起来很浓，味道一定不错。

      Zhè bēi kāfēi wén qǐlái hěn nóng, wèidào yīdìng búcuò.

      This cup of coffee smells very strong — it must taste good.

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    Expressing 'to smell' with 闻 (wén) | Chinese Grammar