Top 100 Vocabulary for Visiting and Touring EU | Grasse

Grasse is in southern France. French is the local language; this guide teaches English through a distinctive travel setting. Use these expressions when English is mutually understood, or as preparation for reading, writing and classroom discussion. Learning an English word does not guarantee that a particular guide, shop assistant or workshop instructor will speak English. For real visits, confirm the language of the activity and keep the original French names of your destinations.

Four kinds of attention organise the learning: how we perceive and describe scent, how perfume materials are obtained and handled, which plants and molecules appear in the vocabulary, and how local places connect with a wider history. Some words are useful immediately, such as blotter and atomiser. Others, such as fractionation and olfactometer, help you understand a specialist explanation without pretending that you are already a trained perfumer.

Start with curiosity rather than a test of expertise. You might know that you prefer one sample but struggle to explain why. That is a good starting point. A sentence such as “This reminds me of a garden after rain” gives another person something to respond to. You can refine it later. A precise word becomes useful when it expresses a distinction you actually noticed, rather than when it merely makes a sentence sound impressive.

Pronunciation cues below are approximate reading aids, with capital letters showing the strongest syllable. They broadly follow British English for English words. Borrowed French terms and local names keep recognisable French-style cues, while botanical Latin has more than one accepted speaking tradition. The sound written zh is like the middle consonant in measure. Mandarin pinyin belongs to the Chinese meaning, not to the pronunciation of the English or French headword. Proper names are explicitly identified.

Notice the scent and describe its structure

The first bank gives you language for moving beyond “nice” and “strong”. Keep the difference between a personal impression and an ingredient claim in mind. A perfume can remind you of a flower without containing an extract of that flower.

1. perfumery

Pronunciation: per-FYOO-muh-ree. Meaning: The craft and industry of creating perfumes; also a place where perfumes are made or sold.

简体中文: 香水制作业 Pinyin: xiāngshuǐ zhìzuò yè

Example: Our visit to Grasse introduced us to perfumery as both a creative practice and a skilled trade.
中文: 我们参观格拉斯后了解到，香水制作业既是一种创作实践，也是一门专业手艺。

Use it well: The meaning depends on whether you describe an activity or a place of business.

2. perfumer

Pronunciation: per-FYOO-muh. Meaning: A person who develops fragrances by selecting and combining scented materials.

简体中文: 调香师 Pinyin: tiáoxiāngshī

Example: The perfumer asked which smells I associated with a peaceful morning.
中文: 调香师问我，哪些气味会让我联想到宁静的早晨。

Use it well: Use create a perfume or develop a fragrance.

3. olfaction

Pronunciation: ol-FAK-shun. Meaning: The sense of smell and the process of detecting smells.

简体中文: 嗅觉 Pinyin: xiùjué

Example: The museum activity made olfaction easier to discuss because we could compare our own observations.
中文: 博物馆的活动让我们更容易讨论嗅觉，因为我们可以比较各自的观察。

Use it well: A scientific noun, useful when discussing perception.

4. orthonasal

Pronunciation: or-thoh-NAY-zul. Meaning: Describing smelling through the nostrils as air enters the nose.

简体中文: 经鼻孔的嗅觉方式 Pinyin: jīng bíkǒng de xiùjué fāngshì

Example: Smelling a flower through the nostrils is an example of orthonasal perception.
中文: 通过鼻孔闻花香是经鼻孔感知气味的一个例子。

Use it well: Compare retronasal; this describes an air route, not a scent family.

5. odorant

Pronunciation: OH-duh-runt. Meaning: A substance capable of stimulating the sense of smell.

简体中文: 气味物质 Pinyin: qìwèi wùzhì

Example: The educator used odorant for the substance and smell for our experience of it.
中文: 讲解员用“气味物质”指那种物质，用“气味”指我们对它的感受。

Use it well: The spelling odorant is standard in British technical English too.

6. fragrance family

Pronunciation: FRAY-gruns FAM-uh-lee. Meaning: A category grouping perfumes with broadly similar scent characteristics.

简体中文: 香调类别 Pinyin: xiāngdiào lèibié

Example: Knowing the fragrance family helped me explain what I liked without naming a particular brand.
中文: 了解香调类别后，我无需说出某个品牌，就能解释自己的喜好。

Use it well: Classification systems vary; a family is not an ingredient list.

7. scent profile

Pronunciation: SENT PROH-file. Meaning: A description of the main qualities and development of a smell.

简体中文: 香气特征 Pinyin: xiāngqì tèzhēng

Example: I wrote a short scent profile before reading the description on the bottle.
中文: 我在阅读瓶上的说明之前，先写下了简短的香气特征描述。

Use it well: A profile can describe one sample rather than a whole family.

8. odour threshold

Pronunciation: OH-duh THRESH-hohld. Meaning: The lowest concentration at which a particular smell can be detected under specified conditions.

简体中文: 嗅觉阈值 Pinyin: xiùjué yùzhí

Example: The science panel explained that an odour threshold is measured under controlled conditions.
中文: 科学展板解释说，嗅觉阈值是在受控条件下测量的。

Use it well: It concerns detection, not whether someone likes the smell.

9. blotter

Pronunciation: BLOT-uh. Meaning: A strip of absorbent paper used to evaluate a fragrance.

简体中文: 试香纸 Pinyin: shìxiāngzhǐ

Example: I labelled each blotter so that I would not confuse the two samples later.
中文: 我给每张试香纸都做了标记，以免稍后混淆两种样品。

Use it well: Ask for a clean blotter before comparing another perfume.

10. sillage

Pronunciation: see-YAHZH. Meaning: The scented trail a perfume leaves in the air around or behind its wearer.

简体中文: 留香轨迹 Pinyin: liúxiāng guǐjì

Example: I asked whether the perfume had a gentle sillage suitable for a shared office.
中文: 我问这款香水的留香轨迹是否柔和，适不适合共用办公室。

Use it well: A borrowed French term; zh sounds like the s in measure.

11. dry-down

Pronunciation: DRY-down. Meaning: The later stage of a perfume after its more volatile opening has faded.

简体中文: 香水后期气味 Pinyin: xiāngshuǐ hòuqī qìwèi

Example: The dry-down appealed to me more than the first impression on the blotter.
中文: 比起试香纸上的最初印象，我更喜欢这款香水后期的气味。

Use it well: A stage in development, not a drying instruction.

12. top note

Pronunciation: TOP noht. Meaning: A scent impression especially noticeable near the beginning of a fragrance's development.

简体中文: 前调 Pinyin: qiándiào

Example: The top note reminded me of freshly peeled citrus fruit.
中文: 前调让我想起刚剥开的柑橘。

Use it well: The first impression does not describe the entire perfume.

13. heart note

Pronunciation: HAHT noht. Meaning: A scent impression forming the central character as a perfume develops.

简体中文: 中调 Pinyin: zhōngdiào

Example: I could describe the heart note more clearly after comparing my later observations.
中文: 比较了稍后的观察后，我能更清楚地描述中调。

Use it well: Also called a middle note, but learn one label first.

14. base note

Pronunciation: BAYS noht. Meaning: A lasting scent impression that supports the later character of a fragrance.

简体中文: 基调 Pinyin: jīdiào

Example: A soft base note remained on the paper when we returned to our comparison.
中文: 我们回来继续比较时，纸上仍留着柔和的基调。

Use it well: A note is an impression, not necessarily one raw ingredient.

15. accord

Pronunciation: uh-KORD. Meaning: A combination of scented materials that creates a recognisable overall effect.

简体中文: 香气组合 Pinyin: xiāngqì zǔhé

Example: The tutor asked us to describe the accord as a whole before guessing its ingredients.
中文: 导师让我们先描述香气组合的整体效果，再猜测其中的原料。

Use it well: Established perfumery usage; distinguish a blend's effect from its recipe.

16. soliflore

Pronunciation: SOL-ee-flor. Meaning: A perfume built around the impression of one flower.

简体中文: 单花香型香水 Pinyin: dānhuā xiāngxíng xiāngshuǐ

Example: I chose a soliflore because I wanted to explore one floral theme carefully.
中文: 我选择了一款单花香型香水，因为我想仔细探索一种花香主题。

Use it well: One floral theme does not mean only one ingredient.

17. chypre

Pronunciation: SHEE-pruh. Meaning: A perfume family traditionally combining a citrus opening with a mossy, woody foundation.

简体中文: 西普香调 Pinyin: xīpǔ xiāngdiào

Example: The floral chypre sample challenged my assumption that every floral perfume would smell sweet.
中文: 这款花香西普香调样品改变了我认为所有花香香水都很甜的想法。

Use it well: A family name; its materials can vary between compositions.

18. fougère

Pronunciation: foo-ZHAIR. Meaning: A fragrance family classically associated with lavender, coumarin and mossy effects.

简体中文: 馥奇香调 Pinyin: fùqí xiāngdiào

Example: I wrote fougère beside the sample rather than calling it simply fresh.
中文: 我在样品旁写下“馥奇香调”，而不是只说它清新。

Use it well: The French word means fern; the perfume need not contain fern extract.

19. gourmand

Pronunciation: gor-MAH(N); final vowel nasal. Meaning: Describing a fragrance that suggests sweet foods or other edible treats.

简体中文: 美食香调的 Pinyin: měishí xiāngdiào de

Example: The gourmand perfume reminded my friend of a dessert, although it was not something to eat.
中文: 这款美食香调香水让我的朋友想起一道甜点，但它并不是可食用的东西。

Use it well: A scent description never makes a perfume edible.

20. ambery

Pronunciation: AM-buh-ree. Meaning: Describing a warm, rounded scent effect often associated with resinous and vanilla-like materials.

简体中文: 琥珀香调的 Pinyin: hǔpò xiāngdiào de

Example: I preferred the ambery sample when I wanted a warmer overall impression.
中文: 当我想要更温暖的整体感受时，我更喜欢那款琥珀香调样品。

Use it well: This describes an effect; it does not mean fossil amber is dissolved inside.

Choose a reading route · Find a word · Next: Compare scent qualities and perception

Compare scent qualities and perception

These words describe different dimensions of experience. Some name a smell character, some describe time or the way aromas reach the nose, and some concern smell sensitivity. Treat the health-related terms as vocabulary, never as a reason to diagnose yourself or another visitor.

21. aldehydic

Pronunciation: al-duh-HID-ik. Meaning: Describing a scent effect associated with certain aldehydes, often airy, sparkling or soapy.

简体中文: 醛香调的 Pinyin: quán xiāngdiào de

Example: The assistant explained aldehydic before asking whether I noticed a bright, soapy impression.
中文: 店员先解释了“醛香调的”这个词，再问我是否注意到明亮的皂香感。

Use it well: Aldehydes differ; this label does not describe every aldehyde's smell.

22. animalic

Pronunciation: an-ih-MAL-ik. Meaning: Describing a warm, bodily or animal-like scent character, whether naturally or synthetically created.

简体中文: 动物气息的 Pinyin: dòngwù qìxī de

Example: I asked whether animalic described the perfume's smell or the source of its ingredients.
中文: 我问“动物气息的”是在描述香水的气味，还是在说明原料来源。

Use it well: An animalic effect does not prove an animal-derived ingredient is present.

23. balsamic

Pronunciation: bal-SAM-ik. Meaning: Describing a rich, sweet, warm fragrance character reminiscent of fragrant balsams.

简体中文: 香脂气息的 Pinyin: xiāngzhī qìxī de

Example: The balsamic description made more sense after I compared it with a sharper sample.
中文: 与一种更尖锐的样品比较后，我更明白“香脂气息的”这个描述了。

Use it well: In perfumery this is not a reference to salad vinegar.

24. powdery

Pronunciation: POW-duh-ree. Meaning: Describing a soft scent impression reminiscent of cosmetic powder.

简体中文: 粉香的 Pinyin: fěnxiāng de

Example: My sister called the scent powdery because it reminded her of a dressing table.
中文: 我姐姐说这种气味有粉香，因为它让她想起梳妆台。

Use it well: It describes a smell rather than a powder suspended in the bottle.

25. herbaceous

Pronunciation: her-BAY-shus. Meaning: Having a scent reminiscent of green herbs or their leaves.

简体中文: 草本气息的 Pinyin: cǎoběn qìxī de

Example: I used herbaceous when the sample reminded me of crushed garden herbs.
中文: 当样品让我想起揉碎的园中香草时，我用了“草本气息的”这个词。

Use it well: Useful for a green herbal impression without claiming a specific plant.

26. resinous

Pronunciation: REZ-in-us. Meaning: Having a scent reminiscent of plant resins, often deep, woody or balsamic.

简体中文: 树脂气息的 Pinyin: shùzhī qìxī de

Example: The resinous character stayed in my memory after the brighter first impression faded.
中文: 较明亮的最初印象消退后，树脂气息仍留在我的记忆中。

Use it well: Resinous describes an effect; resinoid names an extracted material.

27. indolic

Pronunciation: in-DOH-lik. Meaning: Describing an indole-like scent facet that can seem intensely floral or animalic.

简体中文: 吲哚气息的 Pinyin: yǐnduǒ qìxī de

Example: The perfumer used indolic to explain the more intense side of the floral accord.
中文: 调香师用“吲哚气息的”来解释这个花香组合中更浓烈的一面。

Use it well: It is a precise specialist description, not a general word for unpleasant.

28. camphoraceous

Pronunciation: kam-fuh-RAY-shus. Meaning: Having a sharp, penetrating smell resembling camphor.

简体中文: 樟脑气息的 Pinyin: zhāngnǎo qìxī de

Example: A camphoraceous impression made me think of a familiar medicinal smell.
中文: 一种樟脑气息让我想起熟悉的药味。

Use it well: Describes resemblance; it does not promise a medicinal benefit.

29. terpenic

Pronunciation: ter-PEE-nik. Meaning: Describing a scent character associated with terpenes, such as a pine-like or turpentine-like facet.

简体中文: 萜烯气息的 Pinyin: tiēxī qìxī de

Example: The specialist suggested terpenic when I struggled to describe the pine-like edge.
中文: 当我难以描述那种松木般的尖锐气息时，专家建议用“萜烯气息的”。

Use it well: A technical descriptor; individual terpenes have different odours.

30. tenacity

Pronunciation: tuh-NAS-ih-tee. Meaning: The persistence of a fragrance material or scent over time.

简体中文: 留香持久性 Pinyin: liúxiāng chíjiǔxìng

Example: We compared tenacity by recording which sample remained noticeable during our later checks.
中文: 我们记录了稍后检查时哪种样品仍能被闻到，以此比较留香持久性。

Use it well: Different from sillage, which concerns a scent's trail through the air.

31. olfactory fatigue

Pronunciation: ol-FAK-tuh-ree fuh-TEEG. Meaning: A temporary reduction in responsiveness to a smell after continued exposure.

简体中文: 嗅觉疲劳 Pinyin: xiùjué píláo

Example: We paused the exercise when olfactory fatigue made the samples harder to distinguish.
中文: 嗅觉疲劳使样品更难分辨时，我们暂停了练习。

Use it well: This learning term is not a diagnosis of persistent loss of smell.

32. retronasal

Pronunciation: ret-roh-NAY-zul. Meaning: Describing smell perception when aromas reach the nose from the mouth through the throat.

简体中文: 经口鼻通道的嗅觉方式 Pinyin: jīng kǒubí tōngdào de xiùjué fāngshì

Example: At lunch, we discussed retronasal perception as a contrast to smelling a blotter.
中文: 午餐时，我们讨论了经口鼻通道感知气味的方式，并把它与闻试香纸作比较。

Use it well: Use food to discuss this route; never taste perfume materials.

33. anosmia

Pronunciation: an-OZ-mee-uh. Meaning: Loss or absence of the sense of smell.

简体中文: 嗅觉丧失 Pinyin: xiùjué sàngshī

Example: The information panel used anosmia for loss of smell, not for disliking a fragrance.
中文: 资料展板用“嗅觉丧失”指失去嗅觉，而不是不喜欢一种香味。

Use it well: Persistent or new smell changes belong in a conversation with a clinician.

34. hyperosmia

Pronunciation: hy-per-OZ-mee-uh. Meaning: An unusually heightened sensitivity to smells.

简体中文: 嗅觉过敏 Pinyin: xiùjué guòmǐn

Example: The guide explained hyperosmia without assuming that every sensitive visitor had a medical condition.
中文: 导游解释了嗅觉过敏，但没有假定每位对气味敏感的游客都有疾病。

Use it well: Knowing a term does not allow a visitor to diagnose themselves or others.

35. scent memory

Pronunciation: SENT MEM-uh-ree. Meaning: A memory of a smell or a memory brought to mind by a smell.

简体中文: 气味记忆 Pinyin: qìwèi jìyì

Example: My strongest scent memory from the exercise was linked to my grandmother's garden.
中文: 那次练习中，我最强烈的气味记忆与祖母的花园有关。

Use it well: Describe your own association without treating it as universal.

36. perfume organ

Pronunciation: PER-fyoom OR-gun. Meaning: A perfumer's work station with an organised selection of fragrance materials.

简体中文: 调香台 Pinyin: tiáoxiāngtái

Example: At the perfume organ, I asked how the materials were arranged before touching anything.
中文: 在调香台旁，我先询问原料如何排列，没有贸然触碰物品。

Use it well: An established name for equipment, not a musical instrument in this context.

Choose a reading route · Find a word · Next: Follow materials, production and packaging

Follow materials, production and packaging

A perfume display may move between extraction, formulation and packaging. Ask which stage you are looking at before choosing a technical verb. The same familiar word can have a specialist meaning: expression is one clear example. These explanations support observation and discussion, not unsupervised chemical experiments.

37. essential oil

Pronunciation: ih-SEN-shul oil. Meaning: A volatile aromatic plant material obtained by methods such as distillation or mechanical expression.

简体中文: 精油 Pinyin: jīngyóu

Example: I asked which plant and extraction method were associated with the essential oil on display.
中文: 我询问展出的精油来自哪种植物，以及采用了哪种提取方法。

Use it well: A material category, not a guarantee of safety or quality.

38. absolute

Pronunciation: AB-suh-loot. Meaning: A concentrated aromatic extract typically refined with alcohol from a solvent-extracted material or scented fat.

简体中文: 原精 Pinyin: yuánjīng

Example: The label identified the jasmine material as an absolute rather than a distilled oil.
中文: 标签将这种茉莉原料标为原精，而不是蒸馏精油。

Use it well: A technical noun here; it does not mean an absolute promise.

39. hydrolat

Pronunciation: HY-droh-lat. Meaning: The aromatic water collected during the distillation of plant material.

简体中文: 纯露 Pinyin: chúnlù

Example: The demonstrator placed the hydrolat beside the essential oil to show that they were different products.
中文: 演示者把纯露放在精油旁边，说明它们是不同的产品。

Use it well: Also called a hydrosol or floral water; it is not simply diluted essential oil.

40. enfleurage

Pronunciation: on-flur-AHZH. Meaning: A traditional extraction method in which fat takes up fragrance from flowers.

简体中文: 脂吸法 Pinyin: zhīxīfǎ

Example: The display helped me understand why enfleurage required careful handling of the flowers.
中文: 这项展示让我理解了为什么脂吸法需要小心处理花朵。

Use it well: A borrowed French technical term; learn the process with the name.

41. pomade

Pronunciation: puh-MAHD. Meaning: In historical perfumery, fat that has absorbed fragrance during enfleurage.

简体中文: 香脂 Pinyin: xiāngzhī

Example: The guide distinguished this fragrant pomade from the hair product with the same English name.
中文: 导游把这种香脂与英文名称相同的美发产品区分开来。

Use it well: The historical perfumery meaning is the one used here.

42. steam distillation

Pronunciation: STEEM dis-tih-LAY-shun. Meaning: A separation method that carries volatile plant compounds with steam and then condenses them.

简体中文: 水蒸气蒸馏 Pinyin: shuǐzhēngqì zhēngliú

Example: I drew arrows to explain the movement of vapour during steam distillation.
中文: 我画了箭头，说明水蒸气蒸馏时蒸气的移动方向。

Use it well: Describe the principle; a museum diagram is not a home experiment plan.

43. hydrodistillation

Pronunciation: HY-droh-dis-tih-LAY-shun. Meaning: Distillation in which plant material is heated in water to release volatile aromatic compounds.

简体中文: 水中蒸馏 Pinyin: shuǐzhōng zhēngliú

Example: The teacher contrasted hydrodistillation with a system that passes steam through material above the water.
中文: 老师把水中蒸馏与蒸气穿过水面上方原料的系统作了比较。

Use it well: The plant's contact with water distinguishes this arrangement.

44. solvent extraction

Pronunciation: SOL-vunt ik-STRAK-shun. Meaning: Removing aromatic substances from a material by dissolving them in a suitable solvent.

简体中文: 溶剂萃取 Pinyin: róngjì cuìqǔ

Example: The diagram showed solvent extraction as one stage rather than the complete perfume-making process.
中文: 图解将溶剂萃取展示为其中一个阶段，而不是完整的香水制作过程。

Use it well: Industrial methods require specialist controls; do not copy them at home.

45. expression

Pronunciation: ik-SPRESH-un. Meaning: Mechanical pressing used to obtain aromatic oil, especially from citrus peel.

简体中文: 压榨法 Pinyin: yāzhàfǎ

Example: In this display, expression referred to extracting oil from peel rather than expressing an opinion.
中文: 在这项展示中，“压榨法”指从果皮提取精油，而不是表达意见。

Use it well: A specialised meaning of an everyday English word.

46. maceration

Pronunciation: mas-uh-RAY-shun. Meaning: Soaking material in a liquid or fat to draw out components; historically used for perfume flowers.

简体中文: 浸渍法 Pinyin: jìnzìfǎ

Example: I asked whether maceration in that exhibit involved warm fat or another medium.
中文: 我问那项展览中的浸渍法使用的是温热油脂，还是其他介质。

Use it well: Perfumers also use this word for resting an alcoholic blend; ask which meaning is intended.

47. rectification

Pronunciation: rek-tih-fih-KAY-shun. Meaning: Redistilling a material to refine its composition or remove unwanted fractions.

简体中文: 精馏 Pinyin: jīngliú

Example: The production notes described rectification as a further refining step.
中文: 生产说明将精馏描述为进一步提纯的步骤。

Use it well: Not the ordinary meaning of correcting a mistake.

48. fractionation

Pronunciation: frak-shuh-NAY-shun. Meaning: Separating a mixture into portions with different physical or chemical properties.

简体中文: 分馏或分级分离 Pinyin: fēnliú huò fēnjí fēnlí

Example: Fractionation helped explain why two extracts from the same source might differ.
中文: 分馏或分级分离有助于解释为什么来自同一来源的两种提取物可能不同。

Use it well: Rectification may separate fractions, but fractionation is the broader separation idea.

49. headspace

Pronunciation: HED-spays. Meaning: The air above or around a sample, whose volatile compounds can be collected for analysis.

简体中文: 顶空 Pinyin: dǐngkōng

Example: The researcher studied the headspace around a flower instead of collecting a bottle of its oil.
中文: 研究人员分析花朵周围的顶空，而不是收集一瓶花的精油。

Use it well: Analysis can inform a recreated scent; it is not the same as harvesting an extract.

50. resinoid

Pronunciation: REZ-in-oyd. Meaning: An aromatic extract obtained from resinous material using a solvent.

简体中文: 树脂香膏 Pinyin: shùzhī xiānggāo

Example: The worksheet labelled the thick aromatic material as a resinoid.
中文: 练习纸把这种浓稠的芳香原料标为树脂香膏。

Use it well: Names a material; resinous describes a scent quality.

51. fixative

Pronunciation: FIK-suh-tiv. Meaning: A material used in a perfume to help support or prolong its overall scent effect.

简体中文: 定香剂 Pinyin: dìngxiāngjì

Example: I asked what role the fixative played instead of assuming it made every note last equally long.
中文: 我询问定香剂的作用，而没有假定它会让每种香调保持同样长的时间。

Use it well: A functional role, not a universal guarantee of lasting power.

52. diluent

Pronunciation: DIL-yoo-unt. Meaning: A substance added to reduce another material's concentration.

简体中文: 稀释剂 Pinyin: xīshìjì

Example: The instructor identified the diluent before explaining the prepared sample.
中文: 导师先说明所用的稀释剂，再解释配好的样品。

Use it well: Do not assume that an undiluted material is suitable for skin contact.

53. ethanol

Pronunciation: ETH-uh-nol. Meaning: The chemical compound also called ethyl alcohol, used as a solvent in many perfumes.

简体中文: 乙醇 Pinyin: yǐchún

Example: The bottle's label listed ethanol, but we did not treat the perfume as a drink.
中文: 瓶身标签列出了乙醇，但我们没有把香水当作饮料。

Use it well: A chemical name, not permission to ingest a product.

54. volatility

Pronunciation: vol-uh-TIL-ih-tee. Meaning: The tendency of a substance to pass into vapour.

简体中文: 挥发性 Pinyin: huīfāxìng

Example: We used volatility to explain why some impressions changed soon after the sample was applied.
中文: 我们用挥发性来解释为什么有些气味印象在涂上样品后不久就改变了。

Use it well: One influence on development; a finished fragrance is a complex mixture.

55. solubility

Pronunciation: sol-yuh-BIL-ih-tee. Meaning: The extent to which a substance can dissolve in a specified liquid under given conditions.

简体中文: 溶解度 Pinyin: róngjiědù

Example: The tutor asked us to name the liquid whenever we discussed solubility.
中文: 导师让我们每次讨论溶解度时，都说清楚所指的液体。

Use it well: A substance's behaviour depends on the solvent and conditions.

56. concentration

Pronunciation: kon-sun-TRAY-shun. Meaning: The amount of one substance relative to the amount of a mixture or solution.

简体中文: 浓度 Pinyin: nóngdù

Example: I checked the stated concentration rather than guessing from the darkness of the liquid.
中文: 我查看标明的浓度，而不是根据液体颜色的深浅来猜测。

Use it well: Do not confuse concentration with the strength of your personal impression.

57. maturation

Pronunciation: mat-yuh-RAY-shun. Meaning: A controlled resting period that allows a perfume mixture to settle and develop before further processing.

简体中文: 熟化 Pinyin: shúhuà

Example: The maker included maturation in the production plan before the final checks.
中文: 制作者在最终检查之前，将熟化纳入了生产计划。

Use it well: The precise use of maturation and maceration varies between perfume makers.

58. filtration

Pronunciation: fil-TRAY-shun. Meaning: Passing a liquid through a filtering medium to remove unwanted particles.

简体中文: 过滤 Pinyin: guòlǜ

Example: The factory explanation connected filtration with obtaining a clear finished liquid.
中文: 工厂的讲解把过滤与获得澄清的成品液体联系起来。

Use it well: Clear appearance alone does not establish the quality of a perfume.

59. pipette

Pronunciation: pih-PET. Meaning: A narrow laboratory tool used to transfer a measured or small amount of liquid.

简体中文: 移液管 Pinyin: yíyèguǎn

Example: I waited for instructions before using the pipette at the workshop table.
中文: 我等候指导后，才使用工作台上的移液管。

Use it well: Follow the organiser's handling instructions rather than improvising.

60. atomiser

Pronunciation: AT-uh-my-zuh. Meaning: A device that turns a liquid into a fine spray.

简体中文: 喷雾器 Pinyin: pēnwùqì

Example: I pointed the atomiser away from other visitors before using the tester as instructed.
中文: 我按照指示使用试用品前，先把喷雾器朝向远离其他游客的方向。

Use it well: British spelling; atomizer is the common American form.

61. flacon

Pronunciation: FLAK-on. Meaning: A small decorative bottle, especially one intended to hold perfume.

简体中文: 香水小瓶 Pinyin: xiāngshuǐ xiǎopíng

Example: The empty flacon interested me because its shape suggested how the perfume had been presented.
中文: 那个空香水小瓶让我很感兴趣，因为它的造型体现了香水曾经如何呈现。

Use it well: A bottle can be studied as design even when no scent remains.

62. crimping

Pronunciation: KRIM-ping. Meaning: Pressing or folding a fitting tightly into place, such as securing a spray pump to a bottle.

简体中文: 压接封口 Pinyin: yājiē fēngkǒu

Example: The bottling display showed crimping after the pump had been positioned.
中文: 灌装展示呈现了喷头就位之后的压接封口步骤。

Use it well: A packaging operation, distinct from creating the fragrance.

63. batch code

Pronunciation: BATCH kohd. Meaning: A marking that identifies a particular production batch.

简体中文: 批次代码 Pinyin: pīcì dàimǎ

Example: I photographed the batch code so that I could identify the product accurately if I had a question.
中文: 我拍下批次代码，以便有疑问时准确识别产品。

Use it well: Do not infer an expiry date from an unfamiliar code without the maker's guidance.

64. tincture

Pronunciation: TINGK-chuh. Meaning: An extract made by soaking a material in alcohol.

简体中文: 酊剂 Pinyin: dīngjì

Example: The curator explained that the historical tincture had been prepared using alcohol.
中文: 策展人解释说，那种历史上的酊剂是用酒精制备的。

Use it well: The definition does not imply that the product is medicinal or edible.

65. olfactometer

Pronunciation: ol-fak-TOM-ih-tuh. Meaning: An instrument that presents odours in controlled amounts for measurement or testing.

简体中文: 嗅觉测量仪 Pinyin: xiùjué cèliángyí

Example: An olfactometer belongs in controlled testing, unlike our informal comparison of two blotters.
中文: 嗅觉测量仪用于受控测试，与我们随意比较两张试香纸不同。

Use it well: A measurement tool, not another name for a perfume organ.

Choose a reading route · Find a word · Next: Recognise plants, extracts and molecules

Recognise plants, extracts and molecules

A plant name, an extract name and a molecule name answer different questions. Read the label carefully, then ask about the plant part and the method when those details matter. A display in Grasse may include materials from many places; never assume that every ingredient was grown nearby.

66. rose de Mai

Pronunciation: rohz duh MAY. Meaning: The May rose, a name associated with the fragrant centifolia rose used in perfumery.

简体中文: 五月玫瑰 Pinyin: wǔyuè méiguī

Example: I copied rose de Mai from the label so that I could ask which rose the guide meant.
中文: 我从标签上抄下“五月玫瑰”，以便询问导游具体指哪种玫瑰。

Use it well: A French ingredient name; show the written label when precision matters.

67. Jasminum grandiflorum

Pronunciation: JAZ-mih-num gran-dih-FLOR-um. Meaning: A botanical species name for a jasmine cultivated for its fragrant flowers and used in perfumery.

简体中文: 大花素馨 Pinyin: dàhuā sùxīn

Example: The botanical label read Jasminum grandiflorum, which was more precise than simply jasmine.
中文: 植物标签写着“大花素馨”的拉丁学名，比只写“茉莉”更准确。

Use it well: Botanical name, not an ordinary English phrase; Latin-name pronunciations vary.

68. tuberose

Pronunciation: TYOO-buh-rohz. Meaning: A flowering plant whose strongly scented white flowers are used in perfumery.

简体中文: 晚香玉 Pinyin: wǎnxiāngyù

Example: The tuberose sample gave me a new way to describe a rich white-flower impression.
中文: 晚香玉样品让我找到了一种新的方式，描述浓郁的白花香感。

Use it well: Despite the English name, this plant is not a rose.

69. orange blossom

Pronunciation: OR-inj BLOS-um. Meaning: The flower of an orange tree, especially bitter orange in perfume discussions.

简体中文: 橙花 Pinyin: chénghuā

Example: I asked whether orange blossom referred to the flower itself or an extract in that description.
中文: 我问那个说明中的“橙花”是指花朵本身，还是一种提取物。

Use it well: A plant part, whereas neroli names a particular distilled material.

70. neroli

Pronunciation: NEH-roh-lee. Meaning: An essential oil distilled from bitter-orange blossoms.

简体中文: 橙花精油 Pinyin: chénghuā jīngyóu

Example: The demonstrator described neroli before showing the separate orange-blossom extract.
中文: 演示者先介绍橙花精油，再展示另一种橙花提取物。

Use it well: Do not use it as a name for every extract made from orange blossoms.

71. petitgrain

Pronunciation: PET-ee-grayn. Meaning: An essential oil commonly distilled from the leaves and twigs of bitter orange.

简体中文: 苦橙叶精油 Pinyin: kǔchéngyè jīngyóu

Example: The label helped me distinguish petitgrain from an oil obtained from the tree's flowers.
中文: 标签帮助我把苦橙叶精油与从同一种树的花朵提取的精油区分开来。

Use it well: The plant part matters even when the tree is related.

72. bergamot

Pronunciation: BUR-guh-mot. Meaning: A citrus fruit whose aromatic peel provides an oil widely used in perfumery.

简体中文: 香柠檬 Pinyin: xiāngníngméng

Example: I recognised bergamot on the ingredient card but still asked to compare the sample.
中文: 我认出了原料卡上的香柠檬，但仍请求比较样品。

Use it well: In perfumery this usually concerns the citrus fruit, not the herb with a similar common name.

73. otto

Pronunciation: OT-oh. Meaning: A traditional term for distilled rose essential oil.

简体中文: 玫瑰蒸馏精油 Pinyin: méiguī zhēngliú jīngyóu

Example: The words rose otto told me to ask about distillation rather than assume it was an absolute.
中文: “玫瑰蒸馏精油”这个名称提醒我询问蒸馏过程，而不是假定它是原精。

Use it well: Often used in the phrase rose otto; distinguish it from rose absolute.

74. orris

Pronunciation: OR-is. Meaning: The prepared rhizome of certain iris species, valued as a fragrant perfumery material.

简体中文: 鸢尾根香料 Pinyin: yuānwěigēn xiāngliào

Example: The orris display surprised me because the important perfume material came from below the flower.
中文: 鸢尾根香料的展示让我惊讶，因为这种重要香料来自花朵下方的部位。

Use it well: Often called iris root in everyday language; botanically the part is a rhizome.

75. vetiver

Pronunciation: VET-ih-vuh. Meaning: A tropical grass whose aromatic roots are used to produce a perfumery oil.

简体中文: 香根草 Pinyin: xiānggēncǎo

Example: When I heard vetiver, I asked whether the guide meant the plant or its aromatic oil.
中文: 听到“香根草”时，我问导游指的是植物，还是它的芳香精油。

Use it well: Root-derived material; do not assume every displayed ingredient was grown locally.

76. patchouli

Pronunciation: puh-CHOO-lee. Meaning: A fragrant plant whose leaves provide a widely used perfumery oil.

简体中文: 广藿香 Pinyin: guǎnghuòxiāng

Example: The patchouli sample encouraged us to discuss leaf-derived materials as well as flowers.
中文: 广藿香样品促使我们在讨论花朵之外，也讨论从叶片取得的原料。

Use it well: Names both the plant and, in context, its scent or oil.

77. labdanum

Pronunciation: LAB-duh-num. Meaning: An aromatic resin obtained from certain rockrose shrubs and used in perfumery.

简体中文: 岩蔷薇树脂 Pinyin: yánqiángwēi shùzhī

Example: The educator placed labdanum in the material discussion rather than calling it a flower extract.
中文: 讲解员在介绍原料时讲到岩蔷薇树脂，没有把它称为花朵提取物。

Use it well: A resin source, distinct from the broader ambery scent effect.

78. benzoin

Pronunciation: BEN-zoh-in. Meaning: An aromatic resin from certain Styrax trees, used for its sweet balsamic character.

简体中文: 安息香树脂 Pinyin: ānxīxiāng shùzhī

Example: I noted benzoin beside the sample and asked how the material was prepared for use.
中文: 我在样品旁记下“安息香树脂”，并询问它如何加工后使用。

Use it well: In this guide the word means the perfumery resin, not the similarly named chemical compound.

79. tonka bean

Pronunciation: TON-kuh been. Meaning: The fragrant seed of the tonka tree, used as a source of perfume material.

简体中文: 零陵香豆 Pinyin: línglíngxiāngdòu

Example: The tonka bean display helped me connect a raw seed with a familiar sweet scent.
中文: 零陵香豆的展示帮助我把一颗原始种子与一种熟悉的甜香联系起来。

Use it well: The word bean is a common name; perfume materials are not tasting samples.

80. coumarin

Pronunciation: KOO-muh-rin. Meaning: An aromatic compound with a sweet, hay-like odour, occurring naturally in tonka beans and other plants.

简体中文: 香豆素 Pinyin: xiāngdòusù

Example: The specialist mentioned coumarin while explaining why the sample reminded us of sweet hay.
中文: 专家在解释为什么样品让我们想起甜香的干草时，提到了香豆素。

Use it well: A molecule name, not another name for the whole tonka bean.

81. linalool

Pronunciation: lih-NAL-oh-ol. Meaning: A fragrant alcohol found in many plants and used as a floral-scented perfume ingredient.

简体中文: 芳樟醇 Pinyin: fāngzhāngchún

Example: I found linalool on the label and asked what kind of ingredient the name described.
中文: 我在标签上看到芳樟醇，便询问这个名称指哪类原料。

Use it well: An alcohol in chemical classification; not the same compound as ethanol.

82. limonene

Pronunciation: LIM-uh-neen. Meaning: A terpene found in citrus peel oils; its common d-form has an orange-like odour.

简体中文: 柠檬烯 Pinyin: níngméngxī

Example: The card named limonene, and we checked the explanation before guessing from the word alone.
中文: 卡片写着柠檬烯，我们先查看解释，没有只凭词形猜测。

Use it well: Different molecular forms can have different sensory properties.

83. geraniol

Pronunciation: juh-RAY-nee-ol. Meaning: A fragrant alcohol with a rose-like odour, occurring in various essential oils.

简体中文: 香叶醇 Pinyin: xiāngyèchún

Example: The geraniol sample showed why a chemical name can be useful in a floral discussion.
中文: 香叶醇样品说明了为什么化学名称也能帮助我们讨论花香。

Use it well: Do not infer that a material comes only from geraniums because of its name.

84. vanillin

Pronunciation: vuh-NIL-in. Meaning: An aromatic compound strongly associated with the characteristic smell of vanilla.

简体中文: 香兰素 Pinyin: xiānglánsù

Example: The teacher distinguished vanillin from a whole vanilla extract with many components.
中文: 老师把香兰素与含有多种成分的完整香草提取物区分开来。

Use it well: A single compound is not the same as the full natural extract.

85. musk

Pronunciation: MUSK. Meaning: A fragrance character and a class of perfume materials historically associated with animal musk and now often synthetic.

简体中文: 麝香 Pinyin: shèxiāng

Example: I asked what musk meant in that product rather than assuming an animal source.
中文: 我询问那款产品中的“麝香”具体指什么，而没有假定它来自动物。

Use it well: Check the maker's ingredient information when source matters to you.

Choose a reading route · Find a word · Next: Connect historical work with local names

Connect historical work with local names

The final bank links a product with craft history and gives you specific names to recognise on a plan. Keep institutions and companies separate. A familiar surname can refer to several different places, so a full written name is often more helpful than a confident but incomplete spoken request.

86. scented glove

Pronunciation: SEN-tid gluv. Meaning: A glove treated with fragrance, associated with the historical connection between leatherwork and perfumery.

简体中文: 香氛手套 Pinyin: xiāngfēn shǒutào

Example: The scented glove helped me connect the perfume story with something people once wore.
中文: 香氛手套帮助我把香水的历史与人们过去穿戴的物品联系起来。

Use it well: A historical object, not a standard souvenir promised by this guide.

87. glove-maker

Pronunciation: GLUV-may-kuh. Meaning: A craft worker who makes gloves.

简体中文: 手套匠 Pinyin: shǒutàojiàng

Example: I tried to describe how the glove-maker's work differed from the perfumer's task.
中文: 我试着描述手套匠的工作与调香师的任务有什么不同。

Use it well: The two crafts have a historical connection but require different skills.

88. tannery

Pronunciation: TAN-uh-ree. Meaning: A workplace where animal hides are processed into leather.

简体中文: 制革厂 Pinyin: zhìgéchǎng

Example: A reference to a tannery reminded us that the city's history included demanding industrial work.
中文: 一处关于制革厂的记载提醒我们，这座城市的历史也包含繁重的工业劳动。

Use it well: Names a place; avoid romanticising the labour behind luxury goods.

89. saponification

Pronunciation: suh-pon-ih-fih-KAY-shun. Meaning: The chemical reaction of fats or oils with an alkali to produce soap.

简体中文: 皂化 Pinyin: zàohuà

Example: The guide distinguished saponification from adding fragrance to already manufactured soap.
中文: 导游把皂化与向已经制成的肥皂添加香料区分开来。

Use it well: Do not assume that every perfume-house soap display performs this chemical reaction on site.

90. soap mould

Pronunciation: SOHP mohld. Meaning: A shaped container or tool used to give soap its form.

简体中文: 肥皂模具 Pinyin: féizào mújù

Example: I sketched the soap mould to explain the difference between shaping and scenting a product.
中文: 我画下肥皂模具，说明产品成形与加香之间的区别。

Use it well: British mould; moulding, pressing and stamping are not automatically the same operation.

91. Grasse

Pronunciation: GRASS. Meaning: The name of a city in southern France strongly associated with perfumery.

简体中文: 格拉斯 Pinyin: Gélāsī

Example: We chose Grasse because we wanted to connect a place with the work behind a familiar product.
中文: 我们选择格拉斯，是因为想把一个地方与熟悉产品背后的制作工作联系起来。

Use it well: Place name; approximate French pronunciation, with one syllable.

92. Pays de Grasse

Pronunciation: pay duh GRASS. Meaning: The name used for the Grasse area, including its wider perfume-growing and making communities.

简体中文: 格拉斯地区 Pinyin: Gélāsī dìqū

Example: Pays de Grasse helped me describe a wider area rather than only the city centre.
中文: “格拉斯地区”帮助我描述更广的区域，而不仅是市中心。

Use it well: Regional proper name; pays here means an area, not a separate sovereign country.

93. Musée International de la Parfumerie

Pronunciation: mew-ZAY an-ter-na-syoh-NAL duh lah par-few-muh-REE. Meaning: The International Perfume Museum in Grasse, devoted to the history and culture of perfumery.

简体中文: 国际香水博物馆 Pinyin: Guójì Xiāngshuǐ Bówùguǎn

Example: I showed the name Musée International de la Parfumerie when asking which museum our plan included.
中文: 我展示了国际香水博物馆的法文名称，询问我们的计划包括哪一家博物馆。

Use it well: Institution name, often abbreviated MIP; approximate French cue.

94. Jardins du Musée International de la Parfumerie

Pronunciation: zhar-DAN dew mew-ZAY an-ter-na-syoh-NAL duh lah par-few-muh-REE. Meaning: The perfume museum's gardens in Mouans-Sartoux, a separate site from the central Grasse museum.

简体中文: 国际香水博物馆花园 Pinyin: Guójì Xiāngshuǐ Bówùguǎn Huāyuán

Example: We checked the location of Jardins du Musée International de la Parfumerie before arranging our day.
中文: 我们先查看国际香水博物馆花园的位置，再安排当天的行程。

Use it well: Institution name, often JMIP; do not confuse its address with MIP.

95. Mouans-Sartoux

Pronunciation: moo-AHN sar-TOO. Meaning: The name of the town where the International Perfume Museum's gardens are located.

简体中文: 穆昂萨尔图 Pinyin: Mù’ángsà’ěrtú

Example: I wrote Mouans-Sartoux on the itinerary so that the garden visit had its own destination.
中文: 我在行程上写下穆昂萨尔图，让花园之行有明确的独立目的地。

Use it well: Place name; the nasal French vowel is only approximated by this cue.

96. Fragonard

Pronunciation: fra-goh-NAR. Meaning: The name of a Grasse perfume house; the surname also belongs to the painter Jean-Honoré Fragonard.

简体中文: 花宫娜品牌 Pinyin: Huāgōngnà pǐnpái

Example: When I said Fragonard, my friend asked whether I meant the perfume house or the painter.
中文: 我说“Fragonard”时，朋友问我指的是香水品牌，还是画家。

Use it well: Proper name with more than one local reference; give the full venue name.

97. Molinard

Pronunciation: moh-lee-NAR. Meaning: The name of a historic perfume house based in Grasse.

简体中文: 莫利纳尔品牌 Pinyin: Mòlìnà’ěr pǐnpái

Example: I checked Molinard's own information before choosing which visitor activity interested us.
中文: 我先查看莫利纳尔自己的资料，再选择我们感兴趣的参观活动。

Use it well: Company name; activities and booking conditions should be checked directly.

98. Galimard

Pronunciation: ga-lee-MAR. Meaning: The name of a perfume house associated with Grasse and perfume-making experiences.

简体中文: 加利玛品牌 Pinyin: Jiālìmǎ pǐnpái

Example: Our notes listed Galimard separately so that we did not mix up different perfume houses.
中文: 我们的笔记单独列出加利玛，以免混淆不同的香水公司。

Use it well: Company name, not a general English term for a perfumery.

99. Villa-Musée Jean-Honoré Fragonard

Pronunciation: vee-lah mew-ZAY zhahn on-oh-RAY fra-goh-NAR. Meaning: The municipal villa-museum connected with the painter Jean-Honoré Fragonard and his artistic family.

简体中文: 让奥诺雷弗拉戈纳尔别墅博物馆 Pinyin: Ràng Àonuòléi Fúlāgēnà’ěr Biéshù Bówùguǎn

Example: We wrote Villa-Musée Jean-Honoré Fragonard in full to keep the art visit distinct from the perfume visit.
中文: 我们写出让奥诺雷弗拉戈纳尔别墅博物馆的全名，以区分艺术参观与香水参观。

Use it well: Institution name; distinct from the perfume house and its own art museum.

100. Cathédrale Notre-Dame-du-Puy

Pronunciation: ka-tay-DRAHL not-ruh dam dew PWEE. Meaning: The name of Grasse's historic cathedral, a landmark in the old town.

简体中文: 皮伊圣母主教座堂 Pinyin: Píyī Shèngmǔ Zhǔjiào Zuòtáng

Example: I kept Cathédrale Notre-Dame-du-Puy on our list as a reminder to explore beyond perfume shops.
中文: 我把皮伊圣母主教座堂保留在清单上，提醒我们不要只参观香水店。

Use it well: Place name; the Chinese is an explanatory rendering, so retain the French for navigation.

Choose a reading route · Find a word · Next: city context

Grasse: connect the product with the place

UNESCO inscribed perfume-related skills in Pays de Grasse on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2018. The recognised knowledge connects growing perfume plants, understanding and processing natural materials, and composing perfume. It concerns living skills and their transmission, rather than declaring the whole town a World Heritage Site. UNESCO also places these practices within a history that includes leather tanning. UNESCO: perfume-related skills in Pays de Grasse.

That distinction changes the question a learner asks. Instead of writing only “Grasse is famous”, ask who knows how to do what. A grower may make decisions that are different from those of a person processing raw materials. A perfumer may need to communicate an intended impression to someone preparing a production batch. A finished bottle lets you begin the conversation, but it cannot show every decision or every person involved.

The International Perfume Museum was founded in 1989. Its subject reaches beyond a display of contemporary products to the history and culture of perfumery. The museum offers a useful point of reference for distinguishing historical objects, manufacturing equipment and the ways people have used and presented fragrance. Musées de Grasse: the perfume museum.

Read an object label in three passes. First, identify the object: a flacon, a tool, a drawing or a container. Second, find the time and place the label actually gives. Third, decide what the object can support as evidence. An attractive bottle can support a comment about shape or presentation. Unless the label says more, it cannot establish exactly how its contents smelled or how everyone at the time experienced them.

The museum’s historical material connects scented gloves with leatherworking and perfume. It also shows how fragrance containers became objects of design and social display. This connection is more useful than a simple story in which a luxury industry appears from nowhere: materials, craft work and the expectations of buyers all matter. International Perfume Museum: historical collections.

For writing, be careful with the difference between a source and an imagined scene. “The museum explains the connection between gloves and perfume” is a report about evidence. “I imagine a glove-maker comparing finished pieces” is a response to that evidence. Both can belong in a thoughtful travel account, but the second should not become a claim that you witnessed a particular historical event. Clear verbs protect the reader from that confusion.

The perfume museum’s gardens are in Mouans-Sartoux, separate from the central Grasse museum. Plan them as a different destination. A garden visit can connect a written plant label with a living specimen, while an indoor display can explain a process or show an object that would not appear in a planting bed. Musées de Grasse: the museum gardens.

Do not build a timetable from the vocabulary list. Flowering, available activities, opening arrangements, language provision and booking conditions need current checks with the relevant venue. The learning scenes below are suggested ways to pay attention, not a promise that a particular plant, demonstration or workshop will be available on your chosen day. Keep the plan flexible enough to learn from what is actually present.

Four connected visitor scenes

Scene one: arrive with a question. Before entering a museum or visitor centre, choose one ordinary object that interests you. It might be the pump on a bottle or a drawing of gloves. Write one question you can ask without technical vocabulary, then add a term from the bank if it improves the question. “How is this attached?” can become “Is crimping used to attach this pump?” The second version is useful only if you still understand the first.

Give the other person room to correct your assumption. “Is this an example of solvent extraction?” is better than announcing a process you have not identified. Listen for a reply that changes the category, and record that correction. A successful language encounter is not one in which you guessed correctly every time. It is one in which you left with a clearer explanation than you had when you arrived.

Scene two: observe a production display. Fragonard’s historical factory information distinguishes older extraction equipment from other manufacturing and bottling activities. It describes filtering a prepared perfume liquid and shaping scented soap from already manufactured soap granules. This is a useful reminder that a visitor display can contain several different stages and kinds of work. Fragonard: the historical factory.

Choose one sequence and explain it in your own words. Begin with what arrives at that stage, identify the action, then state what leaves it. If you cannot identify the starting material, say so. Do not turn every machine into a distillation device simply because that is the term you remember. Photograph a permitted label or copy its exact wording, then resolve the uncertain step after the visit.

Scene three: compare two prepared samples. Ask for permission and follow the venue’s instructions. Keep the comparison small. Label the papers, record your own first impression, and leave space for a later observation. You might write “powdery, familiar, not yet sure why”. That is more useful than borrowing five adjectives from a product card before you have formed your own view. Your notebook records your experience; it does not need to imitate advertising.

When your companion disagrees, turn the disagreement into a language exercise. Ask which part of the experience they are describing and when they noticed it. Perhaps you are talking about the opening and they are talking about a later impression. Perhaps the same scent recalls different memories. Try “I notice…” and “It reminds me of…” before making an absolute claim about what the perfume is. You can be specific without insisting that another person must agree.

Scene four: leave room for the wider town. The official tourism information identifies Cathédrale Notre-Dame-du-Puy among Grasse’s landmarks. Pays de Grasse Tourisme: Grasse.

The municipal Villa-Musée Jean-Honoré Fragonard concerns the painter and his artistic family; it should be distinguished from the perfume house and the perfume house’s own museum activities. Musées de Grasse: Villa-Musée presentation.

Write the full venue name before choosing your next stop. At this stage the language task is practical accuracy: identify a place, explain why you want to see it, and check that your companion means the same destination. A day can include perfume and art without forcing every building into a perfume story. If the group needs a quieter activity, shorten the scent comparison rather than treating the word list as a checklist that must be completed.

Choose a reading route · Find a word · Next: bilingual conversations

Two bilingual conversations for a plausible visit

These are original practice dialogues, not transcripts or promises about a venue’s services. The speakers use English by agreement. Notice how they ask permission, clarify an uncertain term and describe a personal response. You can rehearse them without handling any perfume material. Replace only the details you genuinely know when using the language on a real visit.

Conversation one: compare without rushing

Visitor: Could I compare these two perfumes on separate blotters? I would rather begin with the paper than put anything on my skin.
中文: 我可以用两张不同的试香纸比较这两款香水吗？我想先用纸试香，不直接涂在皮肤上。

Assistant: Certainly. Please label them so that you can recognise them later. Which first impression would you like to describe?
中文: 当然。请做好标记，以便稍后认出它们。你想先描述哪一种最初印象？

Visitor: This one seems powdery to me. The other reminds me of sweet food, but I do not know a more precise word.
中文: 这一款给我的感觉是粉香。另一款让我想起甜食，但我不知道更准确的词。

Assistant: You could try gourmand if that describes your impression. Would you like to keep your own description as well?
中文: 如果符合你的感受，可以试着用“美食香调的”。你也想保留自己的描述吗？

Visitor: Yes. I will write both. I also want to compare the dry-down before deciding which I prefer.
中文: 想。我会把两种说法都写下来。我还想比较后期气味，再决定更喜欢哪一款。

Assistant: That sounds sensible. There is no need to choose immediately, and you can stop the comparison whenever you wish.
中文: 这样很合理。不必马上选择，你也可以随时停止比较。

The visitor controls the pace without being dismissive. “I would rather…” gives a preference politely, while “seems…to me” leaves room for a different perception. The assistant offers vocabulary without replacing the visitor’s original idea. Practise changing the reason for waiting: you might want to read the label, ask a companion or simply continue looking before making a decision. You do not owe a purchase because someone helped you learn.

Conversation two: clarify a process and a destination

Student: I wrote essential oil and absolute in the same part of my notes. Have I treated two different materials as if they were identical?
中文: 我把精油和原精写在笔记的同一部分。我是不是把两种不同的原料当成一样了？

Educator: They are different terms. Which label or diagram were you looking at? We should begin with that evidence.
中文: 它们是不同的术语。你当时看的是哪张标签或图解？我们应该先从那项证据开始。

Student: This one. Could you help me identify the starting material and the method? I do not want to guess.
中文: 这一张。你能帮我确认起始原料和方法吗？我不想猜。

Educator: Yes. Point to the stage you find confusing, and tell me what you understand so far.
中文: 可以。请指出让你困惑的阶段，并说说你目前理解的内容。

Student: Thank you. One more question: our plan says Jardins du Musée International de la Parfumerie. Is that a separate destination?
中文: 谢谢。还有一个问题：我们的计划写着国际香水博物馆花园。那是另一个目的地吗？

Educator: Yes, the gardens are in Mouans-Sartoux. Check their own visitor information before arranging that part of your day.
中文: 是的，花园在穆昂萨尔图。安排那部分行程之前，请查看花园自己的参观信息。

The student does two valuable things: names a specific uncertainty and points to the evidence. This makes a complicated explanation easier for the other person to give. Rehearse the same pattern with a different pair: a plant and its extract, a perfume house and a municipal museum, or a chemical process and a packaging operation. The useful sentence is “Have I treated two different things as if they were identical?”

Choose a reading route · Find a word · Next: retrieval practice

Practice that turns recognition into usable English

Recognising a word in a list is only the first step. For this practice, close the relevant bank before answering. Say the word aloud, give a short explanation and place it inside a new sentence. If you cannot remember it, look briefly, close the page and try again. The aim is a usable connection between meaning and language, rather than a performance of having read all one hundred entries.

Task one: choose the right kind of word

• 1. Which term names a fragrance-testing paper?
• 2. Which term names the trail a perfume leaves around or behind its wearer?
• 3. Which term identifies a later stage of the scent rather than its first impression?
• 4. Which term names the instrument for controlled odour presentation?
• 5. Which term refers to a scented historical piece of clothing?
• 6. Which local name identifies the town containing the museum gardens?

Before checking the answers, explain why another term would not fit. For example, a device that sprays a liquid is not the paper onto which a sample may be applied. This small comparison makes you attend to function. If you remember only a Chinese translation, use it as a bridge, then return to an English explanation with an action: “We use it to…” or “It describes what happens when…”.

Answers: 1. blotter; 2. sillage; 3. dry-down; 4. olfactometer; 5. scented glove; 6. Mouans-Sartoux. Accept a careful explanation even if pronunciation is still developing. Correct the word gently, then ask the learner to use it in a new situation. A copied answer becomes learning only when the learner can recover or apply it again.

Task two: repair an overconfident sentence

Rewrite these statements so that they report only what the speaker knows: “This smells like a rose, so it must contain rose extract.” “Every material in a Grasse display was grown in Grasse.” “I recognise the name Fragonard, so I know which museum you mean.” “The liquid looks dark, so its concentration must be higher.” There is more than one good answer. Keep the correction clear enough for another visitor to understand.

Model repairs: “This reminds me of a rose, but I have not checked the ingredients.” “I need to read the source information before saying where the material was grown.” “Which Fragonard venue do you mean? Could you show me the full name?” “I will check the stated concentration rather than judge it from colour.” Each repair replaces an unsupported conclusion with either a bounded observation or a useful question.

Now write one overconfident sentence of your own and repair it. This is especially useful after a museum visit because impressive terminology can make an uncertain claim sound authoritative. Underline the exact words that tell your reader what is observed, what is learned from a label and what is still uncertain. You are practising intellectual honesty as part of good English, not merely inserting a cautious word into every sentence.

Task three: explain a sequence without inventing steps

Choose a diagram or a photograph of a permitted display. Write three sentences: what you can identify at the start, what the labelled action does, and what appears at the end. Use one process word from entries 37–65. Add a fourth sentence beginning “I still need to check…” if a connection is missing. When working at home without an image, use a labelled sketch based only on a definition from the bank.

Worked response: “The diagram begins with a liquid containing unwanted particles. Filtration separates those particles from the liquid. The next picture shows the liquid after that stage. I still need to check what material the filter uses.” This response stays within the evidence. It does not invent temperatures, timings, chemicals or a guarantee that filtering alone makes a product safe. Judge your own answer by that same standard.

A calm routine before, during and after the visit

Before the visit, select eight words around a single purpose. If you want to ask questions at a display, choose an object, two materials, two processes and three useful descriptive terms. Do not select eight unfamiliar specialist words simply because they look difficult. Say what each word would help you do. If you cannot imagine a useful question or observation, leave that entry for a later session.

During the visit, collect small pieces of evidence rather than trying to write everything. A full place name, one corrected misconception and a brief description of an object can support a strong paragraph later. Ask before photographing, recording or handling anything. When an explanation becomes too technical, ask for one stage at a time. You can say, “Could you explain what happens immediately before this?” instead of pretending to understand the entire process.

After the visit, cover your notes and tell someone three things you learned. Then reopen the notes and check your account. Correct a term while the experience is still clear. On another day, use the same vocabulary in a different task: explain a label to a family member, compare two written product descriptions, or describe a bottle as an object of design. Transfer matters because you want the word to remain useful outside the original example.

For younger learners, let an adult handle the planning and the venue’s practical rules. A child can focus on noticing, asking and explaining without being expected to identify every smell correctly. For older students, add a source check: which detail comes from an official institution, which is a company’s own description, and which is your personal interpretation? Both groups benefit from learning to say “I do not know yet” followed by a specific next question.

Choose a reading route · Find a word · Next: worked writing

Worked writing: from a list of words to a connected account

A strong travel paragraph does not need to contain every new term. It needs a clear point, a concrete moment and an explanation of why that moment mattered. Begin with a change in understanding. Perhaps you realised that a material and a finished fragrance are different, or that a familiar name can point to different institutions. Choose vocabulary that helps your reader follow that change. Leave out terms that only decorate the sentence.

A model reflective account

This is an imagined visit for language practice, not a report of a journey made by the author.

I arrived in Grasse thinking that a perfume visit would mainly involve choosing a pleasant smell. My notebook changed that expectation. Before describing a sample, I had to decide what kind of statement I was making. Was I naming a material, reporting an impression or repeating something I had read? Those questions made me slow down and listen more carefully.

At a display, I noticed the word absolute and realised that I could not explain it. Instead of copying the label and moving on, I asked how the material differed from the essential oil mentioned nearby. The explanation was more detailed than I expected. I drew a simple arrow beside the word I understood and left a question mark beside the step I still needed to check.

Later, I compared two prepared samples on labelled blotters. One seemed powdery, while the other suggested sweet food. My companion used different words, so we compared our descriptions rather than arguing about whose impression was correct. I kept my first description and added a later observation. The space between those notes became more interesting than an immediate decision about which perfume was best.

The most useful thing I took away was not a long list of impressive terms. It was a habit of asking a smaller, clearer question. On the journey back, I could explain one distinction in my own words and name the uncertainty that remained. That felt like a more honest record of the visit than claiming that I suddenly understood the whole art of perfumery.

Why this account works

The opening gives the reader a starting assumption. The second paragraph shows a specific obstacle rather than announcing that the visit was educational. The third supplies an observable activity and a difference between two people’s responses. The ending returns to the learner’s changed behaviour. The structure gives vocabulary a job: absolute identifies the obstacle, blotters locate the comparison, and powdery expresses a bounded sensory impression.

Notice the verbs. “I noticed”, “I asked”, “I drew” and “I compared” make the learning visible. “I realised” is supported by what the writer did next. Avoid replacing these actions with a series of grand adjectives about the city. A reader can picture a labelled piece of paper or a question mark in a notebook more easily than a vague claim that the experience was unforgettable, extraordinary and completely unique.

For revision, read the paragraph once for truth and once for language. In the first pass, check place names, source-based facts and the difference between a real event and a practice scenario. In the second, shorten unnecessary clauses, vary sentence openings and remove terms that need an explanation you do not provide. Keeping those two passes separate can make revision less confusing because you are not trying to solve every problem at once.

Your transfer task

Write 180–220 words for a classmate who has never visited a perfume museum. Choose one small moment and explain what changed in your understanding. Use five terms from this article, including one material or process word, one descriptive term and one exact local name. Make at least one distinction clear. End with a question you would ask on a future visit, rather than an unsupported claim that you now know everything about the topic.

If you have not been to Grasse, label the piece as an imagined visit or write a plan in the future tense. You can still practise excellent English without fabricating a personal experience. An alternative is to analyse the model above: replace the sample comparison with the reading of a place name, and show how asking for the full name prevents a planning mistake. Keep the source facts unchanged while creating your own sequence of thoughts and actions.

Choose a reading route · Find a word · Next: frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

Must I memorise all one hundred entries before visiting?

No. Choose a small set that matches your purpose and learn to ask a few clear questions with those words. The longer bank is a resource for returning to an unfamiliar label or developing a writing task. A learner who can explain one distinction and listen carefully has more useful language than someone who can recite twenty definitions without recognising when they apply.

Does a perfume note prove that its named natural ingredient is present?

No. In this guide a note describes a perceived scent impression. If ingredient origin matters, use the maker’s information and ask a direct question rather than drawing a conclusion from a poetic description. Keep three ideas separate in your notes: what the sample reminds you of, what the company says about it, and what the ingredient information actually establishes.

Are these pronunciation cues a substitute for French lessons?

No. They make the entries easier to begin reading aloud, but they cannot reproduce every French vowel or the rhythm of every local name. Keep the written destination available and be willing to show it. For English practice, focus first on saying a complete, polite question clearly. You can improve the pronunciation of one difficult name without delaying every other part of your learning.

Can I use the guide without participating in scent testing?

Yes. Follow the object, history, naming and writing routes. You can discuss a flacon, identify a batch code, compare labels or study a production diagram without testing fragrances. Tell the organiser what you need and follow their practical guidance. The article does not require skin application, tasting materials or remaining in an activity that makes you uncomfortable. Persistent changes in your sense of smell are a matter to discuss with a healthcare professional.

How should I use the Chinese and pinyin support?

Read the Chinese meaning when the English explanation is unclear, then return to the English example. Say what the headword does inside that sentence: does it name a person, a material, a process, an impression or a place? Cover the translation and explain the meaning again in simpler English. Pinyin supports the Mandarin wording; it is not a phonetic guide to the headword. Keep French place names alongside explanatory Chinese renderings.

What should I check before arranging an actual visit?

Check the exact venue and address, current opening arrangements, booking requirements, activity language, access information and any participation conditions relevant to your group. A museum, its gardens and a perfume house may be different destinations. Use the official links below for the current details. This article supplies a learning route and vocabulary; it does not establish a live timetable, a ticket price or a guaranteed demonstration.

Continue through eduKate and the official sources

Return to a broader vocabulary route when you want to transfer these habits to another subject. Keep the same pattern: notice something specific, find a word that clarifies it, test the word in a sentence and check the claim behind the sentence. The goal is a more accurate and more interesting conversation, whether your next topic is a museum object, a scientific process or an everyday choice.

• eduKate vocabulary lists: choose your next learning route
• eduKate vocabulary articles: build stronger word knowledge
• Continue with the Lyon English vocabulary guide
• Continue with the Toulouse English vocabulary guide

The links below support the city context and provide direct routes to the institutions and perfume houses. Company pages explain their own work and terminology; museum and UNESCO pages establish a different kind of context. Current visitor information should always be checked with the venue responsible. The dialogues, learning activities and model writing above are original educational examples.

• UNESCO: perfume-related skills in Pays de Grasse
• Musées de Grasse: the perfume museum
• Musées de Grasse: the museum gardens
• Musées de Grasse: Villa-Musée presentation
• Pays de Grasse Tourisme: Grasse
• Fragonard: the historical factory
• Fragonard: flowers and extraction methods
• International Perfume Museum: historical collections
• Molinard: the perfume house
• Galimard: the Studio des Fragrances
• Galimard: understanding perfume notes
• NIDCD: understanding smell
• Frédéric Malle: perfumery terms
• Robertet: the worldwide raw-material network
• IFRA: fragrance-ingredient glossary
• Sylvaine Delacourte: descriptive perfumery vocabulary
• IFF: ingredients and perfume production
• Givaudan: studying natural scents

Return to the reading routes · Return to the complete word index