津津有味

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: jīn jīn yǒu wèi
• English Translation: With great interest, enthusiastically, and engrossed
• Idiom Composition: 「津」（The sensation of saliva forming, indicating keen interest or appetite）＋「津」（The sensation of saliva forming, indicating keen interest or appetite）＋「有」（To have, to possess）＋「味」（Taste, flavor, or interest）
• Meaning: Originally referred to food being delicious. By extension, it describes having deep interest in something and being fully engrossed.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「津津有味」 contains the following nuances:

• Strong interest: Expresses being strongly attracted to something and having deep attention.
• Immersion and enthusiasm: Indicates being absorbed in something and enjoying it to the extent of losing track of time.
• Enjoyment and pleasure: Implies deriving deep joy and satisfaction from the subject.

3. Usage

「津津有味」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Interesting stories or activities: Used to describe the state of listening to interesting stories or engaging in enjoyable activities.
  • Example:「孩子们听老师讲故事听得津津有味。」
    （The children listened to the teacher's story with great interest.）
• Delicious meals: Can also describe enjoying a meal very deliciously.
  • Example:「这道菜太好吃了，他吃得津津有味。」
    （This dish is so delicious that he ate it with great enjoyment.）
• Reading or hobbies: Also used to describe being engrossed in reading or hobbies.
  • Example:「这本书写得非常吸引人，我读得津津有味。」
    （This book is very captivating; I read it with great enthusiasm.）

Additional Examples:

1. 他讲起自己旅行的经历来总是津津有味。
   （He always talks about his travel experiences with great enthusiasm.）
2. 她对烹饪有着浓厚的兴趣，每次做饭都津津有味。
   （She has a strong interest in cooking and always cooks with great enjoyment.）
3. 爷爷回忆起年轻时的趣事，总是说得津津有味。
   （Grandpa always recalls his youthful stories with great interest.）
4. 他津津有味地读着金庸的武侠小说，完全沉浸在那个刀光剑影的世界里。
   （He read Jin Yong's martial arts novels with great engrossment, fully immersed in the world of swords and battles.）
5. 尽管已经深夜了，孩子们仍然津津有味地玩着游戏，丝毫没有睡意。
   （Even though it was late at night, the children were still playing games with great enthusiasm, showing no signs of sleepiness.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• '津津有味' is originally a food-related idiom. In Chinese culture, food holds great importance, as reflected in the proverb 'People regard food as their heaven.' This idiom was born to express deep interest and enjoyment in food, and later came to broadly describe keen interest and immersion in various matters.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 兴趣盎然 (xìng qù àng rán): Full of interest and enthusiasm.
  • 乐此不疲 (lè cǐ bù pí): To like something so much that one never gets tired of it, no matter how many times it is repeated.
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 索然无味 (suǒ rán wú wèi): Completely uninteresting and lacking appeal.
  • 味同嚼蜡 (wèi tóng jiáo là): A metaphor for something (like an article or speech) that is utterly dull and unengaging.

6. Summary

'津津有味' is an expression that not only indicates interest but also deep immersion and genuine enjoyment of something. Using this idiom allows you to vividly express lively interest and pleasure. Since it is closely related to Chinese food culture, try incorporating it into your conversations and writing.