xiān is the everyday reading for fresh, bright, and savory: 新鲜 (fresh), 海鲜 (seafood), 鲜艳 (vivid). It also names the umami taste in cooking. A second reading xiǎn means rare or seldom, as in 鲜为人知 (little-known), and is also the 鲜 in 朝鲜 (Korea).
culture
The idea of 鲜 (umami, a savory freshness) is central to Chinese cooking. The left half 鱼 (fish) and right half 羊 (lamb) pair the two prize proteins of ancient China, both meant to be eaten while still fresh.
Left fish radical, the indexing radical, a side view of a fish. It anchors 鲜 in the aquatic family with 鲤, 鲨, and 鱿. Original sense: a just-caught fish whose flesh has not begun to spoil, the prototype of all fresh food.
Right side 羊 is a goat head with curved horns. Fish plus lamb is a classic meaning compound: the two prized meats of ancient China, both best eaten fresh. The pairing gives 鲜 its core senses of fresh, delicious, and vivid.
