青涩

青澀

qīngsè

adjective

Meanings

1 unripe (of fruit)
2 young and inexperienced; green
3 naive, with the awkwardness of youth

Characters

astringent; awkward

Examples

这些柿子还很青涩，不能吃。

Zhèxiē shìzi hái hěn qīngsè, bù néng chī.

These persimmons are still unripe and not edible yet.

看这张老照片，他当年多么青涩。

Kàn zhè zhāng lǎo zhàopiàn, tā dāngnián duōme qīngsè.

Look at this old photo — how green and youthful he was back then.

她演的是一个青涩的高中生。

Tā yǎn de shì yī gè qīngsè de gāozhōngshēng.

She plays a fresh-faced, awkward high school student.

Tips

memory

Literally 'green and astringent' — the puckery taste of an unripe fruit. The figurative jump to 'young and unpolished' is the same metaphor English makes with 'green'.

Stroke Order

青 qīng

涩 sè