小苏打
xiǎosūdǎ
The English phrase 'baking soda' is translated into Chinese as 小苏打 (xiǎosūdǎ).
小苏打 is the common name for sodium bicarbonate, typically used when referring to the substance used in cooking or for household cleaning.
Meaning: common name for sodium bicarbonate (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term literally translates to 'little soda'.
Which one should you use?
While 苏打 (sūdǎ) is a general term for soda or bicarbonate, 小苏打 (xiǎosūdǎ) specifically refers to the common baking soda. Furthermore, while 碳酸氢钠 (tànsuān qīng nà) is the formal chemical name for sodium bicarbonate, 小苏打 is the everyday name used in daily life.
How do you pronounce it?
xiǎosūdǎ
Did you know?
- In Chinese cooking, 小苏打 is often used to tenderize meat or make fried dough crispier, a technique called 'alkalizing' that changes the food's texture more aggressively than in Western baking.
- While 小苏打 is for baking, Chinese cuisine frequently uses 食用碱 (shíyòngjiǎn), or 'edible alkali', which is stronger than baking soda and essential for authentic noodles.
- The word 苏 (sū) in the transliteration 苏打 is the same character used in 'Suzhou', a famous ancient city, showing how phonetic borrowings often repurpose existing characters.
Examples in context
- 小苏打是一种常用的发酵剂。Baking soda is a commonly used leavening agent.
- 我们需要买一包小苏打。Wǒmen xūyào mǎi yī bāo xiǎosūdǎ.We need to buy a bag of baking soda.
- 这种小苏打很便宜。Zhè zhǒng xiǎosūdǎ hěn piányi.This kind of baking soda is very cheap.
- 请把小苏打放进碗里。Qǐng bǎ xiǎosūdǎ fàng jìn wǎn lǐ.Please put the baking soda into the bowl.
Example conversation
晓雯 and 伟 are shopping for baking supplies at a supermarket.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen伟，你看到小苏打了吗？Wěi, nǐ kàndào xiǎosūdǎ le ma?Wei, did you see the baking soda?
- 伟 Wei在那个货架上。Zài nàge huòjià shàng.It's on that shelf.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen找到了，我们要买一包。Zhǎodào le, wǒmen yào mǎi yī bāo.Found it, we need to buy one bag.
- 伟 Wei好的，我来拿。Hǎo de, wǒ lái ná.Okay, I'll grab it.
