zest

Compared meaning: great enjoyment or strong enthusiasm (noun).

比较义项：极大的喜爱或强烈的兴趣（名词）。

• relish

  Relish stresses savoring or taking keen delight in something, often something already happening or even someone else's misfortune; it commonly appears in the fixed phrase 'with relish'.

  relish 强调对某事津津有味地享受或从中获得快感，甚至包括对他人不幸的幸灾乐祸，常见于固定搭配“with relish”。

  He described his rival's downfall with unmistakable relish.

  他讲述对手垮台的经过时，带着毫不掩饰的快意。

• zest 本词

  Zest stresses energetic, eager enthusiasm for life or activities in general, often paired with words like 'life' or 'energy', rather than sensory enjoyment of one specific thing.

  zest 强调对生活或各类活动怀有充满活力、跃跃欲试的热情，常与“life”“energy”等词搭配，而不是对某一具体事物的感官享受。

  Even in her eighties, she tackled every day with remarkable zest.

  即使到了八十多岁，她依然以惊人的热情迎接每一天。

Both mean strong enjoyment or enthusiasm. Relish stresses savoring delight in something happening, as in 'with relish', even someone's bad luck. Zest stresses energetic enthusiasm for life or activities, often paired with 'life' or 'energy'. Relish's condiment sense isn't compared.

两者都表示对某事怀有浓厚的喜爱或热情，但语气不同：relish 更强调细细品味、乐在其中的满足感，常见于“with relish”这类固定搭配，甚至可用于对他人不幸的幸灾乐祸；zest 更强调充满活力、跃跃欲试的热情，常与“life”“energy”等词搭配，形容对生活或各类活动的积极投入。这里不比较 relish 作“调味品”的义项。

Compared meaning: to add flavor to food (verb).

比较义项：给食物调味／加香料（动词）。

• spice

  A general verb meaning to add any spice or seasoning to food; common in everyday cooking talk and also used figuratively ("spice up your life").

  泛指给食物加入任何香料或调味料，是日常烹饪中常用的说法，也常用于比喻义（如“给生活增添情趣”）。

  She spiced the curry with extra cumin and chili to give it more kick.

  她在咖喱里多加了些孜然和辣椒，让味道更浓郁。

• zest 本词

  A narrower verb meaning specifically to grate citrus peel over a dish for flavor; used mainly in recipes, not for spices in general.

  含义更窄，特指把柑橘皮屑刨碎撒在菜肴上调味，主要用于食谱语境，而不是泛指加香料。

  Zest a lime over the fish right before you serve it.

  上菜前在鱼上刨一些青柠皮屑调味。

Both mean to add flavor to food, but spice is broader, meaning to add any seasoning, common in cooking talk. Zest is narrower, meaning to grate citrus peel over a dish, used in recipes. Neither spice as a noun nor zest's enthusiasm is compared.

这两个词在“给食物调味”这一义项上意思相近，但spice泛指添加任何香料，用法更通用；zest则特指添加柑橘皮屑来提味，范围更窄，多见于食谱用语。这里不比较zest表示“热情，活力”的用法（如great zest and energy），也不比较spice作名词“香料”的用法。