咸了 (xiánle): (it's) too salty

Meanings

1 (it's) too salty
2 has gotten salty

Characters

咸

(change of state particle)

Examples

这个汤咸了,能加点水吗?

Zhè ge tāng xián le, néng jiā diǎn shuǐ ma?

This soup is too salty — can we add some water?

菜咸了,我喝不下。

Cài xián le, wǒ hē bú xià.

The dish came out too salty — I can't finish it.

Tips

grammar

The 了 here is the change-of-state / realization marker: 'it has become (too) salty' — signaling that the speaker has just tasted it and discovered the problem. Standard restaurant complaint; pair with 淡了 'too bland'.

Stroke Order

咸 xián

了 le

Related Words

咸 xián HSK 4 #7,961

salty / salted; brined

咸味 xiánwèi #32,289

salty taste / saltiness / salty flavor

过头了 guòtóule

went too far / went overboard / took it too far

偏咸 piānxián

on the salty side / leaning salty

太咸 tàixián

too salty

咸亨 xiánhēng

Xianheng (Shaoxing tavern made famous by Lu Xun) / 'all prosperous' (classical phrase)

喝高了 hēgāole

to have had one too many; to be drunk / to be tipsy/wasted

淡了 dànle

(it's) too bland / has lost flavor / has faded

辣了 làle

(it) turned out too spicy / (it has) become spicy

手慢了 shǒumànle

too slow on the tap (you missed it) / didn't react in time (in a flash sale or grab)