piquant

IPA/ˈpiːkənt/
KK[pˈikənt]IPA/ˈpiːkənt/

piquant — adjective

  • piquantpositive
  • more piquantcomparative
  • most piquantsuperlative

1. Describes food or drink that has a lively, sharp flavour — such as a hint of lem

1.形容詞B2
釋義

Describes food or drink that has a lively, sharp flavour — such as a hint of lemon, vinegar, pepper, or mild spice — that is pleasantly strong on the tongue and stimulates the appetite without being uncomfortably hot.

例句

Padma added a piquant sauce made from chili and lime to the grilled fish.

piquant + sauce describing ingredients (chili, lime)

The restaurant's soup had a piquant flavour that came from fresh ginger and lemongrass.

同義詞
  • tangy

    more specific to sour/sharp flavours; less formal

  • zesty

    suggests freshness and energy; informal, often used for citrus flavours

  • pungent

    stronger, can be unpleasant if too intense; broader (also for smells)

  • peppery

    specifically suggests black or white pepper rather than general sharpness

反義詞
  • bland

    lacking any strong or interesting flavour

  • mild

    gentle flavour, opposite end of the intensity scale

文法句型

piquant + noun (piquant sauce/flavour/dish)

用法筆記

Unlike 'spicy', which primarily suggests heat from chilli, 'piquant' covers any sharp or tangy sensation — including sourness from citrus, acidity from vinegar, or pungency from spices. It always implies the flavour is pleasant, not overpowering.

常見錯誤

❌The soup was too piquant to eat.
✅The soup had a pleasantly piquant flavour from the lemon.
💡'piquant' is positive; use 'spicy' or 'hot' for uncomfortably strong flavours.
❌Piquant' means very hot/spicy.
✅Piquant' includes tangy, sharp, and mildly spicy flavours
💡not just heat. A lemon-dressed salad can be piquant without any chilli.

2. Describes a story, comment, or scene that arouses your curiosity or keeps your m

2.形容詞C1
釋義

Describes a story, comment, or scene that arouses your curiosity or keeps your mind engaged because there is something slightly unusual, provocative, or mysterious about it — making it feel more lively and captivating than the ordinary.

例句

Yara found the old man's piquant stories about his travels through Asia impossible to forget.

piquant + stories (attributive use for intriguing narratives)

There was a piquant detail in the letter that made Takeshi wonder who had written it.

同義詞
  • provocative

    stronger emphasis on causing thought or reaction, often deliberately

  • intriguing

    more general; suggests curiosity without the hint of mystery

  • stimulating

    broader; can refer to any kind of mental engagement, not necessarily mysterious

反義詞
  • bland

    lacking any interesting or stimulating quality

  • dull

    completely uninteresting, no element of surprise

文法句型

piquant + noun (piquant detail/remark/question)

用法筆記

Often used before a noun (attributive position) rather than after a linking verb. Commonly pairs with nouns like 'detail', 'remark', 'contrast', 'story', or 'situation'.

常見錯誤

❌The piquant sunset was beautiful.
✅The piquant remark made everyone think.
💡'piquant' is not a synonym of 'picturesque' or 'beautiful'; it describes something intellectually stimulating or provocative, not visually pretty.
❌I felt piquant about the news.
✅The piquant news made me curious.
💡'piquant' describes the thing that stimulates interest, not a person's feeling. Use 'piqued' for the feeling (I was piqued by the news).